Memories that Last for Moments
by SouthernStars
Summary: She'd never thought she would see him again. Until she was unwittingly invited to spend three weeks in LA with her best friend, her best friend's brother and him. Now her memories were fighting to escape and her heart was fighting to stay hers. On Hiatus.
1. Leaving For LA

Disclaimer: I do not own 'High School Musical' or any related characters.

A/N: Well, I'm a lazy, exhausted author who is going to use her exhaustion as an excuse as to why, exactly, I haven't been updating any of my stories, or even writing any one-shots. You all have to understand that for the past couple of months, I haven't had time for sleeping let alone writing. I've only just managed to stay alive under the pile of homework, hockey and life in general that every time I sit down to write I either fall asleep or my muse deserts me because it feels spent. On that note, no I am not taking a break from FF; I'm just going to take it easy for a while. So updates are going to be completely irregular and they will only come when I feel like I need to write something down, which, hopefully, will be a lot more regular now that I'm on school holidays for three weeks. However, I do have assignments to do; one is a two thousand word essay of 'The Spear of Destiny' so I'll be concentrating on that!

So, this is a new story that I really shouldn't be starting but am anyway. I'm not entirely sure why, I'm feeling quite restless at the moment with both my stories. I have a feeling it's because C&M is nearly done. Anyway, please bear with me on all my stories. I know I've become an erratic updater but with the load I was bearing with school, it's been incredibly hard for an interest in writing to arise! In saying that, I hope you all enjoy the story!

* * *

_**Memories that Last for Moments**_

**Chapter One: Leaving For LA**

_Miss independent  
Miss self-sufficient  
Miss keep your distance, mmmmm  
Miss unafraid  
Miss out of my way  
Miss don't let a man interfere, no  
Miss on her own  
Miss almost grown  
Miss never let a man help her off her throne_

_Miss Independent – Kelly Clarkson_

Gabriella Montez could only gape openly at her best friend of three years as Anna Danforth announced loudly that they were going to be joining her brother and her brother's best friend in LA for part of the summer holidays. Gabriella couldn't actually say why she was gaping at her best friend. It might have been because Anna hadn't asked her whether or not she wanted to go to Los Angeles or it might have been because, as soon as the words left her best friend's mouth, Gabriella's mind was filled with things that she would rather be doing than spending two weeks in LA with two men who probably had a lot better things to do than entertain her and Anna. Even as she regained control of the mouth that had fallen open in complete shock at her friend's announcement and finally felt some indignation at being told what to do. Gabriella found that she still couldn't voice any of the other things she would rather be doing than being in LA. Not because she didn't have a good grasp on what she would rather be doing, but because Anna had launched into what, Gabriella could only assume, was her explanation at why Gabriella should go with her and why it was such a good idea to visit her brother.

"…it's just that I haven't seen Chad in _ages_ and when I was talking to him a couple of weeks ago, he suggested that you and I should come out. He wanted us too and he said that he and his friends would be happy to show us around LA and what they've been doing lately and – what?" Anna's tirade was cut short as Gabriella waved her hand in front of her friends face as not only a signal to shut up, but also to get a word in edgewise.

"Anna, I didn't actually say I wasn't going to not go. Though there are a million other things that I would rather be doing than visiting your brother who, for memory, once stuck his head in a refrigerator to see how cold he would get and ended up with mild frostbite. Who's Chad's friend?" Gabriella said and watched the dark-skinned woman in front of her rolled her eyes at her question, as if it was the dumbest thing anyone had ever asked her.

"Chad's best friend. You've met him once." Anna explained and Gabriella narrowed her eyes at her friend, trying to recall meeting someone that would willingly hand around Chad Danforth and failing miserably.

"Is he, like, a teenager?" Gabriella asked and watched in alarm as sparks flew through Anna's eyes, as if Gabriella had asked some sort of evil question.

"Uh-uh. He is one of the hottest guys I have ever met and he is definitely not a teenager. He's Chad's age. But that's beside the point, please say you'll come. I already told Chad that you would and he wants to see you again so he can prove he's not as insane as you think he is!" Anna said and Gabriella sighed, glancing around her beloved apartment which she had been looking forward to spending the summer holidays in and wishing that her best friend had consulted her first before agreeing to a summer vacation that Gabriella knew she probably couldn't afford on her own.

"How long?" She asked reluctantly, beginning to stir the coffee she had forgotten about upon Anna's announcement. Gabriella knew Anna was holding in a squeal of delight at her friend's question, evidently taking it as an agreement to go when Gabriella hadn't actually consented.

"Three maybe four weeks and Chad said that he'll pay for the tickets and we can crash at his place or he'll put us up in a hotel if we don't want to stay at his place." Anna replied and Gabriella raised her eyebrows, unsure whether her friend was being serious or whether she was kidding.

"You're joking, right? Can Chad actually afford that?" Gabriella asked, thinking that there was no way in hell that a twenty-eight year old guy could afford that without a really good income. Anna shook her head and Gabriella could see her excitement rising as she once again opened her mouth to speak.

"Yeah. Haven't I told you what he does?" Anna replied and Gabriella shook her head, raising her coffee and taking a sip of it. "Never mind. I'll tell you later. Are you coming or not?" Anna asked, dismissing the subject and leaving Gabriella wondering why her friend wasn't bragging about any of the achievements her brother had made. Instead, Gabriella sighed and took another sip before choosing to answer her friend.

"Alright. I suppose I have to come seeing as you've already told Chad we're coming and he's probably already sent you the tickets." Gabriella said and was rewarded with seeing her friend blush slightly, which only confirmed her assumption about what Anna had told her brother. Instead of being bothered by it, Gabriella was rather amused at her friend. She had known Anna long enough to understand her friend's temperament, which ran along the lines of act now and think later.

"Thank you! You seriously won't regret it! I promise! Once you've seen his friend, you'll be so glad you came!" Anna cried out, reaching over to hug her friend fiercely. Gabriella held her coffee up high, in an attempt to stop the scalding water from sloshing over onto her hand.

"Anna, I doubt one guy is going to affect me and my regretting going to LA to see your brother." Gabriella said as soon as Anna had released her and settled back down on the other side of the bench.

"You haven't met him then. I swear Gabs; he is one of the hottest guys to ever grace this planet. I spent half the time I was there last time just drooling over him." Anna said knowingly and Gabriella forced herself not to roll her eyes at her friend's words, knowing that Anna was probably over-exaggerating.

"Uh-huh. Sure. Need I remind you of Timothy?" Gabriella said and was surprised when Anna only waved her hand. Normally, she would blush and stutter about her former boyfriend who she had drooled over before discovering that he only looking good from a side angle.

"Who cares about Tim? I'm telling you, he looks good from any angle and I bet he's only gotten better looking. I haven't seen him in a couple of years. His parents began going out to LA for Christmas instead of him coming to Albuquerque." Anna said and Gabriella just nodded, she knew that while Anna was an incredible judge of looks, she could spot a hot man from twenty miles away but when it came to what lay beneath the surface, she usually hit rock bottom. Most of the men Anna had been out with, Gabriella knew, were guys who had more brains in their muscles than in their head. Most, she knew, thought it was cool to have burping contests and not shower for a few days.

"Alright. I'll take your word for it." Gabriella said when she noticed the dreamy look on Anna's face.

"Good." Anna glanced at her watch as she spoke. "Damn, I've gotta go. I'll see you later, okay?" Anna was already moving as she spoke, walking towards the door and speaking over her shoulder.

"Sure. When do we leave?" Gabriella asked and nearly groaned at the look which passed through Anna's eyes. She knew that look. It meant that Anna hadn't, exactly, given out all the information she should have when Gabriella agreed to go.

"Tomorrow. Ten o'clock. So I'll see you at eight." Anna said and had gone before Gabriella could even respond to the words which had left her best friends mouth.

Gaping at the door, Gabriella barely knew how to act but wasn't altogether surprised. Since she had met Anna at one of her lectures a little over three years ago, Gabriella had quickly learned to expect the unexpected when it came to her friend. Not that she didn't love Anna, she did. But her friend still had that ability to pull something out of thin air to leave the person she was speaking to gaping. Like now, Gabriella had simply assumed that Anna was talking about flying out in a couple of days, maybe a week. Not tomorrow.

Just thinking about flying out tomorrow made Gabriella's head hurt. There was so much that she had to do in the space of about, she glanced at her clock, fifteen hours. She needed to pack. She needed to call her mother. She needed to call her father. She needed to email her friends in LA to tell them that she was coming and she needed to cease job-hunting. At least for three weeks. At that thought, Gabriella really did let out a groan. How the hell was she meant to pay for herself while she was in LA? Her bank account wasn't all that impressive at the moment and while she knew that Anna would help her out, Gabriella didn't want to actually ask her friend for money.

Sighing, she picked up her coffee and headed for her bedroom, knowing that she was going to have to dig out her suitcase that she hadn't used in a long, long time and figure out what she was going to pack and what she wasn't. Setting her coffee onto her bedside table, Gabriella headed for her closest. Opening it, her eyebrows drew together as she saw her house phone sitting on the shelf that held her sweaters. As she stared at her phone, Gabriella jumped a mile when it began to ring loudly. Picking it up, she looked at the caller ID and wasn't surprised to see that it was her mother calling her.

"Hello?" She answered tentatively, wondering how many times her mother had called in the past few hours and suddenly understanding where the annoying ringing sound had been coming from all afternoon.

"Gabriella Elizabeth Montez, why haven't you been answering your phone?" Amanda Montez-Stuart demanded as soon as her daughter had answered the phone. Gabriella rolled her eyes when she heard her mother's earring clinking against the phone and wondered why she hadn't thought of taking her earring off when she had called her.

"Because, mother, it's been hiding in my closest for the past couple of hours," Gabriella replied, balancing the phone between her shoulder and her ear as she began to rifle through her clothes in search of her bag.

"Well. How did it get into your closest?" Amanda asked imperiously and Gabriella sighed, staring at a dress she had brought and wondering why on earth she had brought it.

"I have no idea. It must have walked." Gabriella replied sarcastically and could see her mothers frown of disapproval at her use of sarcasm.

"Your very funny darling. Are you coming to dinner tonight?" Amanda asked and Gabriella had to ground her teeth together as her mother's earring once again clinked against the phone.

"No. I have some things I need to do." Gabriela replied as she pulled out her bag with a sigh of relief and threw it onto her unmade bed.

"Like what? Gabriella, Jonathan and I are expecting you! You promised me last week that you were going to come!" Amanda said and Gabriella let out a breath, finally growing frustrated with the earring that she could hear and not see.

"Mom. Please take out the ridiculous earring you're wearing!" She exclaimed and waited until her mother's grumbling had died down before speaking. "Mom, I can't come to dinner tonight because I'm going to LA tomorrow morning. Anna's brother invited me and her to stay for some of the summer." Gabriella said and wasn't surprised by the silence that followed her announcement. She wished slightly that she had thought to call her stepfather first and have him soften the blow with her mother before she actually told her. It was one of the only things her stepfather was useful for.

"Excuse me? Gabriella Elizabeth, you cannot make an engagement and then break it! What if I had guests coming who were eager to see you?" Amanda demanded and Gabriella rolled her eyes.

"Uh-huh. And did you invite anyone?" Gabriella asked and was rewarded with a huff from her mother that reminded Gabriella of when she was three and hadn't gotten what she wanted.

"Well…no. But that's besides the point Gabriella, and you know it!" Amanda said and Gabriella decided that it was time to end the conversation before she developed a tick in her eye.

"Okay mom, sure. I'm hanging up now. Love you. Say hi to Jonathan for me and I'll speak to you when I feel like it. Ta-ta." Gabriella hit end call as soon as she finished speaking, terrified of what her mother would say if she figured out the jumble of words which she had spat out in a rush.

Throwing the phone behind her back onto her bed, Gabriella had to admit that as much as she loved her mother she could never speak to her for long, especially now that she had gotten remarried and had settled herself happily into the role of high flying society wife. It was one of the many things she had slowly begun to resent about her mother, especially when she had announced that Gabriella had to attend a dinner with her and her stepfather at least once a week. Shaking her head slightly, Gabriella pushed thoughts of her domineering mother out of her mind and instead once again began to rifle through her closest. Beginning to throw articles of clothing onto her bed and slowly beginning to not really care about what she packed in her bag.

Just as she reached a bag, her phone began to ring again. Knowing exactly who it was, Gabriella considered ignoring it and then decided that she would only have to call them back if she did. Turning to her bed, Gabriella began to push aside the clothes that were spread over her bed and finally found her phone, just as it stopped ringing. Sighing, Gabriella checked the caller and then hit call when she realized that she had to call them anyway.

"Hello Marla speaking." Marla Montez answered the phone sweetly and Gabriella relaxed slightly, glad that her stepmother answered and even happier that she wasn't wearing an irritating earring which clinked irritatingly against the hand-piece.

"Hey Marla. It's Gabi." Gabriella said and knew her stepmother would be delighted at the fact that she was calling back so soon.

"Gabriella! What a wonderful surprise. You're returning your father's call?" Marla asked, genuinely sounding like she was happy to hear from her stepdaughter and Gabriella couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah. Is he there? 'Cause I need to tell him something." Gabriella said and Marla made a sound of confirmation, before calling out for Alexander Montez. Who Gabriella knew was probably sitting by the pool and staring at it, wondering if he should or shouldn't get into it.

"Here he is, dear, please say you're going to come for dinner soon. It's been a while and your father and I worry about you all alone in that apartment." Marla said, sounding so motherly that Gabriella closed her eyes.

"Actually, Marla, I'm going to LA tomorrow. But I'll come and stay a few days when I get back." Gabriella said and knew that she would. Not because she'd promised Marla that she would to make her stepmother happy, but because she genuinely loved to go and stay at her fathers house.

"Oh that's wonderful! I'll talk to you later, okay? Your father's standing here." Marla said and Gabriella had barely uttered goodbye when her fathers voice boomed through the phone, making her want to laugh.

"Since when are you going to LA, young lady?" Alexander Montez boomed, his voice warm despite his serious words.

"Since Anna asked me this afternoon. How are you Papi?" Gabriella asked and heard her father chuckle.

"I'm fine. How's the job hunting?" He asked and Gabriella winced at the mention of her failure to actually _look_ for a job.

"Uh…okay. Anyway, I'm going to LA and mom knows. Why did you call?" Gabriella said, trying to avoid any mention of her mother and her father's former wife. Her father chuckled again and Gabriella knew that he'd realized what she had tried to do.

"Because I wanted to make sure you were still alive. I haven't heard from you in a while and I was thinking about it while I was in the office today." Alexander said and Gabriella knew that he was shrugging.

"Oh. Well, I'm alive, eating badly and so far, I haven't reproduced. That's about all." Gabriella half muttered into her phone, opening her bag and beginning to shove the clothes on her bed into the bag.

"Wonderful. I'm so glad that you've managed that so far." Her father said and Gabriella giggled slightly, glad that her father had matched her sarcasm with his own and wondering what the hell she would have done if he hadn't.

"I am too. Listen dad, I've got to go. I've got to send some emails to some friends." Gabriella informed her father, narrowing her eyes at a shirt that she had a feeling was extremely dirty and had been sitting in her closest for the better part of a month.

"Alright. I expect to hear from you at least once, while your there." Alexander said sternly, reminding Gabriella that while her father could be incredibly cool and go along with anything she said, he was still her father.

"Dad. I'm twenty-two. I doubt that many twenty-two year olds phone their fathers to tell them that they're alive and well." Gabriella snapped into the phone and then wished that she hadn't because her father had never taken too kindly to being snapped at by his daughter.

"You don't have to use that tone with me. Alright, I'll let you go. I'll speak to you later." Alexander said and Gabriella just let out a grunt.

"Alright. Love you. Speak to you later." She murmured into the phone and hung up at the same time as her father.

Throwing her phone down for what she swore was the last time, Gabriella turned her attention back to her packing. Staring at it, Gabriella suddenly had an urge to recall the details of her conversations with Anna. They were going to LA, they were leaving tomorrow and they were going to be spending time with Chad and his best friend. Frowning slightly, Gabriella tried to recall what Chad's best friends name was and then realized that Anna hadn't said. Though she wasn't surprised, Gabriella felt rather irritated. She had no doubt that as soon as they met whoever Chad's best friend was, both Anna and Chad were going to assume that she knew exactly who she was talking too.

* * *

A coffee cup was shoved into her hand as Gabriella blearily stared at the plane seat in front of her. She hadn't meant to stay up so late. Now, she was sitting on a plane, trying to ignore Anna as she chattered incessantly about what they were going to do in LA and what they were going to see. Not to mention she wouldn't shut up about how cute Chad's best friend was. The best friend who was still nameless and Gabriella found that she was way too tired to actually interrupt her friend and ask what his name was. Besides, the coffee which was sitting in her hand smelt so good that all she could do was drink it gratefully and wait for the caffeine to kick in.

"What did you say?" Gabriella suddenly interrupted her friends chatter at her mention of nightclubs.

"We'll probably go to a couple of clubs. It'll be so cool!" Anna repeated herself and Gabriella stared at her friend, unsure how to respond to that and then not caring.

"Oh, yeah. Sounds so cool." Gabriella agreed absently, glancing down at her lap as the plane shuddered. She tuned her friend out again. It wasn't that hard really, especially seeing as Anna had started repeating herself.

The plane shuddered again and Gabriella had a feeling that they were going to begin the descent into the Los Angeles Domestic Airport and was rather surprised at how quickly the flight had gone. But then again, she shouldn't have been surprised. Her sense of time had been completely warped every since she had woken up at a quarter to eight that morning. She'd woken up, assumed that she wasn't running late and then had panicked when Anna had showed up at her doorstep and she had still been in her pajamas. After what had seemed like a rush that would never end, Gabriella had finally managed to get everything together and could barely remember what had happened between the time Anna had ushered her into the cab and now when Anna had shoved a hot cup of coffee into her hand.

"Why are you so tired?" Anna asked suddenly and Gabriella's eyes jerked from her lap, which she had found so fascinating before, to her friends eyes which were watching her curiously.

"Because I went to bed late and I was exhausted when I went to bed. It threw me out." Gabriella replied and Anna eyed her friend suspiciously.

"Who were you speaking to before you fell asleep on your pile of clothes?" Anna asked and Gabriella eyed her friend balefully, knowing that Anna knew exactly who she had been speaking to before she had fallen asleep.

"Mom, Dad and Marla," Gabriella replied and watched as Anna smiled at her sympathetically.

"That would have been fun for you. Was it really that terrible?" She asked and Gabriella shook her head, knowing that Anna understood a lot more than she let on.

"Not really. Mom wanted me over for dinner tonight and freaked out when I told her I was going to LA and Dad was cool, though I'm meant to call him once a week so he can reassure himself that I'm not dead." Gabriella replied, feeling the plane begin to descend smoothly and Gabriella clutched her coffee tightly, feeling slightly thankful that she hadn't bothered to unfasten her seatbelt.

"Sounds like fun. At least you'll be getting away from your mother for a couple of weeks." Anna pointed out and Gabriella nodded, sighing slightly as she felt the plane hit the tarmac and jolting slightly as it began to slow down.

"That's the only thing that I'm grateful for. I don't think I can deal with her for all of summer." Gabriella agreed, ignoring the captain thanking them for flying with whoever they were flying with.

"I know what you mean. Your mother is possibly the most irritating person I have ever met." Anna said dramatically unbuckling her seatbelt and standing up to stretch. Gabriella giggled, nodding in agreement as she unbuckled her own seatbelt and picked up her handbag.

"You're telling me. I lived with the woman for sixteen years." Gabriella agreed and Anna laughed.

"Yeah and became miss independent." Anna said as they began to file out of the plane. Gabriella grimace slightly at her words, wondering if she was really that independent if she had to inform her parents of every move she made.

"Whatever. Where was Chad meeting us?" Gabriella asked as they walked down the corridor and Anna shrugged.

"I don't know. But I doubt we'll miss him, I think his afro has grown to the point where everybody knows Chad by his hair not _him_." Anna said and Gabriella smiled finding the disgust in her tone amusing.

"Probably. Is his friend coming with him?" Gabriella asked and watched curiously as Anna's eyes lit up and she began to nod enthusiastically.

"Yes. I can't wait until you meet him!" Anna exclaimed and Gabriella nodded, beginning to wonder if Anna actually had a crush on Chad's best friend. She jumped in surprise when her vision was obscured by a large mass of spiraling curls.

"Anna!" Chad Danforth exclaimed loudly as he embraced his little sister tightly. Gabriella laughed as Anna let loose a loud scream before she hugged her brother back. She was still laughing when Chad enveloped her in an exuberant hug.

"Long time no see Gabi." Chad said, drawing back to examine his sisters best friend and appreciating her petite figure and beautiful face before looking back at his sister who was looking suspiciously starry-eyed. Gabriella glanced over at her friend as well and noticed that a dazed expression had come over Anna's face.

"Oh, Gabriella…" Gabriella tuned Chad out as she sucked air into her suddenly stricken lungs. This could not be happening. Yet he was standing in front of her, his muscular frame clad in jeans and a simple white v-neck t-shirt that showed off his tanned, strong forearms. His dark brown hair was falling into amused blue eyes and Gabriella had to draw in another breath as she met them. The smirk on his lips telling her he was enjoying this more than he was letting on.

"Hey Brie. Long time, no see." Troy Bolton smirked at her, his blue eyes twinkling as her heart started to thump erratically. She couldn't manage a smile, she couldn't even think of a reply. She just stared.

'Fuck.' Gabriella thought as she stared up at a man that she hadn't seen in four years and had no intention of ever seeing again.

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A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm not exactly sure what came over me, but I suppose that this'll do. I think it's a bit vague, but I was aiming for that. I know that the lyrics at the beginning probably don't fit but I couldn't think of anything else, besides I already have a good idea as to what songs I'm going to use later on in this story. The lyrics were simply there to try and convey a certain sense of independence about Gabriella. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter, simply because I have no idea where, exactly, this story is going. Also, I'm desperately trying to work on the new chapters for C&M and DF and have, so far, come up with zilch although there is a lurking idea in my head for DF and hopefully I will start that tonight. But I may have said this before, please try not to tell me to update my other two stories soon. Simply because when I'm asked to update, I feel rather pressured and when I feel pressured my stories just don't end up as good as I want them to be and I end just not enjoying my writing and as purely selfish as it may seem, I _need _to enjoy my writing otherwise I stop writing! Anyway, I'll update everything as soon as I can!


	2. What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Strong

Disclaimer: I do not own 'High School Musical' or any related characters

Disclaimer: I do not own 'High School Musical' or any related characters.

A/N: Are we amazed? I'm actually updating sooner than expected. I'm amazed if you're all not, normally it takes me ages to updated (think DF and C&M) but I have a feeling I'm going to have a lot of fun with this story! Anyway, updates are going to be rather scattered from here on. It just that I'm going away for the next two weeks and I have no idea when I'm going to get any chapters posted, so if there's a new one, then there's a new one! But if there isn't, don't despair it just means I can't access the internet! So enjoy this next chapter and consider yourselves pre-warned about the updates!

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_**Memories that Last for Moments**_

**Chapter Two: What Doesn't Kill You, Makes You Strong**

_There's a voice in my head,_

_Tellin' me,_

_Come on, come on _

_Move on,_

_There's a voice in my head, _

_Tellin' me, _

_I know my right from wrong, _

_They say what doesn't kill you _

_Can make you strong, _

_Now I know what it means, _

_You can try to bend _

_But you ain't breaking my dreams._

_Promise – Vanessa Hudgens_

This was what she considered a nightmare. A complete and utter nightmare. Not only had she walked off the plane and come face to face with a guy she had sworn she would avoid at all costs for the rest of her life. She'd had to endure sitting in the back of a Chad's brand new Range Rover with him and had to ignore the amused looks he had continually given her, not to mention the confuse and somewhat demanding looks she had begun receiving from Anna as the trip had progressed. Gabriella wasn't sure what the looks were for. She had a feeling it was mixture of how she knew Troy and why her attitude had changed so suddenly. Truthfully, Gabriella didn't really understand why her attitude towards Anna and Chad had had to change the moment she had recovered from the shock of coming face to face with Troy. She could only suppose it was because that some small part of her blamed Anna and Chad for bringing her into contact with Troy Bolton again. Gabriella groaned and buried her face into her pillow at the thought.

Four years and all it had taken was an innocent trip to LA to bring her face to face with something that she had promised herself she wouldn't think about ever again.

Too bad the moment she'd seen his eyes memories had rushed through her mind almost like a movie in fast forward.

Groaning again, Gabriella found she was rather happy that Chad had brought a house big enough for Anna and her to have separate rooms. She had no doubt that if Anna had any suspicions about her and Troy, hearing her groan into her pillow in frustration was one way of confirming the suspicions Gabriella was sure her friend had and knowing Anna, Gabriella knew that her friend had already cooked up plenty of ideas and possible explanations for why she had reacted to Troy the way she had. Those explanations and ideas was one of the reasons why Gabriella had, as soon as they had finished the grand tour of Chad's knew 'bachelor pad', pleaded a headache and gotten out of Troy's presence as soon as she possibly could. Not that she could actually fully escape him now that she was in LA.

Sighing, Gabriella rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling, trying desperately to remember why, exactly, she had decided to come to LA in the first place. It didn't help that she wanted to blame Anna for not telling her the name of Chad's stupid best friend who Gabriella knew couldn't _wait_ to see what she had been up to in the past four years since – as soon as her mind steered towards _why_ she was lying in her room instead of doing something constructive, Gabriella pushed it out of her mind. Thinking about that was too much, too soon and she had yet to face Troy fully since the airport.

"I know you're awake." Anna's voice scared her so much that Gabriella let loose a scream before she could control herself. Sitting up quickly, Gabriella narrowed her eyes at her friend's shadowed face, not pleased that Anna had interrupted her thinking time and even less pleased that she had scared her.

"Gee, thanks for stating the obvious." Gabriella snapped at her friend and shifted slightly as Anna walked into the room and perched herself on the side of Gabriella's bed.

"Your welcome. So how's the non-existent headache?" Anna asked. Gabriella raised her eyebrows at her friend's bland tone and then shrugged. Picking up her pillow, Gabriella hugged it and then looked at Anna.

"Wonderful. What time is it?" Gabriella asked and Anna glanced at her watch.

"Two o'clock. You've been up here a while." The unspoken question hung in the air and Gabriella resisted the urge to roll her eyes, wishing that for once, just once, Anna would ask the obvious question instead of skirting around it the way she usually did.

"I know. Aren't you going to ask me why? Or are you just going to tell me what you've already deduced?" Gabriella asked, plucking the edge of her pillow in frustration as Anna's eyes narrowed and her best friend studied her face intently.

"It's something to do with Troy. I know that much. I'm still working on why you freaked out though." Anna said. Gabriella had to stifle a giggle at Anna's tone, knowing that what Anna had said, anyone could have picked up on.

"Of course it's to do with Troy and no, I'm not going to tell you because I don't want to talk about it. Has he left yet?" Gabriella said and wasn't surprised when Anna huffed before nodding her head.

"Yeah. He had something to do at work. Can you at least tell me why Troy's so unaffected by you but your so affected by him?" Anna asked and Gabriella let out a strained laugh at her friend attempt to get her to explain what was going on in her head.

"No. I don't want to talk about it. But I am going to book a flight back to Albuquerque as soon as possible." Gabriella said and was surprised by the venomous look which came over Anna's face at her announcement.

"No. You are _not_." Anna snapped at her and Gabriella blinked in surprise at Anna's tone, wondering what on earth had come over her.

"Why not? I don't want to be here Anna! I've just spent the past three hours in this stupid room hiding out!" Gabriella snapped and Anna rose from her bed, staring down at Gabriella with a hard expression that Gabriella wasn't sure what to make of.

"Because you are not going to runaway from whatever you're running from!" Anna exclaimed and Gabriella blinked. "I don't know why you're up here and I don't know why you're avoiding Troy. But you are definitely not going to run home to daddy because you came face to face with something that I can _tell_ you never thought you'd have to deal with again!" Anna's voice was rising and Gabriella prayed that Chad was at least on the opposite end of the house, knowing how loud Anna could get when she was mad and Gabriella knew her friend was mad. She wasn't quite clear on why Anna was mad at her but Gabriella knew better than to ask when her friend was in a mood like this.

"I am not running away! I just don't want to be here!" Gabriella replied hotly, feeling slightly insulted that her friend was labeling her a coward. So what if she didn't want to be in LA now that she knew who Chad's best friend was? Wasn't that her problem?

"That's the same thing! Damn it Gabriella, why can't you just pretend that Troy doesn't exist and stay and have fun with me?" Anna shouted and Gabriella blinked, wanting to shout that she didn't think that she could ignore Troy. Not when she'd been in his presence for all of half an hour and her heart hadn't stopped skipping every time she'd looked at him.

"Because it's not that easy! For God's sake Anna, you spring this trip on me and then when I want to go home because I-" Anna cut her off and Gabriella found herself blinking at her friend.

"Run into a roadblock, you want to run home! Gabriella, just stay! Its only three weeks! Besides, maybe you'll find yourself coming off better than when you got here. After all, if you stay you're dealing with a problem all by yourself." Anna said and Gabriella found herself feeling thankful that Anna's voice was slowly returning to normal. Sighing, Gabriella looked down at the bed, mulling over Anna's words and then wondering if she should listen to her friend at all.

"Okay. Okay. I'll stay." Gabriella muttered and then wanted to hate herself for appeasing her friend instead of listening to her gut, which was telling her the sooner that she left LA the better off she would be.

"Good. Chad and I are going shopping. I just looked in his fridge, discovered a six-pack of beer and a bottle of Vodka and absolutely no food." Anna said, settling back into her happy, exuberant self. Gabriella blinked at her friend, wondering if she had PMS considering her mood swings and then just shook her head.

"Okay. I'm going to call one of my friends. So, I'll see you when I get back." Gabriella said, reaching for her phone and turning it on.

"Okay. Do you need anything?" Anna asked, heading for the door and Gabriella shook her head, beginning to scroll through her contacts as Anna waved goodbye as she headed out the door.

Gabriella absently waved at her friend as she hit call, hoping that the person on the other end would pick up. Holding the phone to her ear, Gabriella frowned as she thought about Anna's comments. She did not runaway when she came across a problem and she certainly did not run back home to her father. It was just that this problem, this very big problem was one she had never, ever thought she'd have to deal with again. Dealing with Troy Bolton once again was not something that she had ever expected she would have to do and she wished that she could tell Anna why that was. But to tell Anna, she had to revisit memories that she had locked away from herself four years ago. Memories that she didn't want to remember because most of the time, they hurt too much.

"Hello?_" _Gabriella jumped in surprise as Sharpay Evans answered her phone. Recovering Gabriella wanted to giggle at the irritated sound in her friend voice.

"Hey Shar, it's me." Gabriella said and hurriedly yanked her phone away from ear when Sharpay let loose a loud shriek as soon as she figured out who 'me' was.

"Gabriella! Oh my God! I haven't heard from you in ages! What are you doing? How did your graduation go? Have you got a job yet? Oh my God, have you found a boyfriend?" Sharpay's question went in one ear and out the other as Gabriella laughed at her friends enthusiastic questions.

"Currently? I'm in LA." Gabriella said and nearly killed herself laughing when Sharpay squealed again.

"You're here? I can't believe it! We have to have lunch or something. Wait, who are you here with?" Sharpay asked suspiciously and Gabriella winced, knowing that Sharpay had never really liked Anna.

"Uh, Anna?" She replied and held back another giggle as Sharpay huffed, reminding Gabriella of her mother's huff only a night before.

"Why are you two out here then?" Sharpay asked and Gabriella leaned back against the headboard, having a feeling it was going to be a long conversation with her blonde friend and looking forward it.

"Her brother, Chad, invited us out." Gabriella said and stared up at the ceiling, frowning slightly as she studied the slivers of sunlight that was on the ceiling.

"And?" Sharpay prompted, not surprising Gabriella as she guessed that there was something more to it then that.

"And his best friend." She said following the sunlight as it moved around the darkened room. Lighting up things that she hadn't noticed when she'd flung herself onto the bed. Such as a very modern looking mirror, a glass table and a black lamp.

"Who is called?" Gabriella closed her eyes at Sharpay's question. Not wanting to tell her and then realizing that she was going to have too if she wanted to hear some sanity from someone who would agree that it would be a good idea to go back to Albuquerque.

"Troy Bolton." She muttered reluctantly and her announcement was met with dead silence.

Gabriella waited patiently as Sharpay processed the information. She knew that Sharpay would understand exactly what was going on, seeing as Sharpay would know why she wanted to go home so badly and her friend would understand why Gabriella had locked herself in her room.

"You are fucking kidding me! What the hell? Didn't Anna tell you who Chad's best friend was?" Sharpay spoke softly and Gabriella shivered slightly at the menace in her voice, glad that it was directed at someone who wasn't her.

"No. But she did say that I met him once before." Gabriella replied and bit her lip when Sharpay snorted loudly.

"You mean you fucked him once before, right?" Gabriella winced at Sharpay's blunt question and tried to find a reply that didn't sound as weak as she felt as she fought to push away a memory that had sprung up at her words.

"Sharpay, tell me it's not crazy that I want to get onto the first flight that leaves for Albuquerque as soon as possible!" Gabriella begged, ignoring Sharpay's question and praying that Sharpay would agree with her.

"Of course it isn't! Gabriella, you can barely deal with all of those reminders let alone him in person. It's absolutely not crazy that your first reaction would be for you to get out of there as soon as possible!" Sharpay said and Gabriella sighed in relief. "…but I don't think you should." Sharpay's statement shocked Gabriella so much, she opened her mouth and then closed it again.

"Why not? You just said it wasn't crazy that I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible!" Gabriella snapped into the phone and heard Sharpay sigh at her tone.

"Because maybe if you deal with him in person, you'll be able to deal with everything else that's attached to him." Sharpay said and Gabriella flopped sideways onto her bed, not sure how to respond to that particular logic.

"But I don't think I can. Shar, I know I should get over it but its just…not as easy as everyone thinks it is. I mean, it would really awesome if I could move on from everything and there's that stupid voice in my head, that I should have listened too, that's telling me to move on but…" Gabriella trailed off, wondering if Sharpay would now think she was crazy because she was talking about voices in her head and then realizing that Sharpay had been her friend for too long to judge her for saying something that sounded slightly odd.

Sharpay made a soothing sound that Gabriella found slightly odd before she spoke. "I know sweetie, but sometimes what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Gabriella, if you go home you might end up regretting not being able to face Troy again. Besides, you can't go home. I know you're here now and we have to go shopping!" Sharpay's attempt at lightening the conversation made Gabriella laugh before she sobered quickly.

"So you don't think it's a good idea for me to go home?" She asked and knew when she heard Sharpay sigh that Sharpay had hoped she'd thrown Gabriella off the topic.

"No. If you stay though, you know that I'm here and so is Ryan. If it gets too much, come and stay with us and we'll look after you." Sharpay replied and Gabriella closed her eyes, suddenly feeling tired.

"Okay. Listen, I'll call you tomorrow or something and we can go to lunch or something." Gabriella said, wondering drowsily why she was so tired when she had been so wired only minutes before.

"Sure. I'll speak to you later." Sharpay said and Gabriella mumbled a goodbye as she hung up. Curling herself around her pillow, Gabriella closed her eyes and pushed out any thoughts of leaving and Troy.

* * *

She was slowly coming out of her sleep when she heard a door slam. Assuming that it was someone from next door, Gabriella hugged the pillow tighter to her stomach until she heard the sound of keys being thrown onto the granite bench and figured that Anna and Chad had returned from what she could only guess was an eventful shopping trip. Yawning slightly, Gabriella slowly began to sit up. Feeling her hair-band holding the very ends of her hair together, Gabriella pulled it out and settled it on her wrist. Swinging her legs over the side of her bed, Gabriella stretched and opened the door. Heading for the general direction of the kitchen in the house, Gabriella ran a hand through her hair, knowing that it probably looking incredibly wild as she stepped into a kitchen that looked completely untouched.

Frowning, Gabriella glanced around, looking for shopping bags or any sign of Anna and Chad. She glanced at the bench and saw a set of keys sprawled in the middle of it, which meant that someone was here. Just not Anna and Chad which meant that…Gabriella's eyes widened as she realized exactly who it was that had come into the house. Closing her eyes, Gabriella took in a deep breath to calm herself, silently telling herself that it was absolutely probable for her to get back to her room without Troy realizing that she was currently in the kitchen. Turning around, Gabriella opened her eyes and jumped.

Troy was leaning against the side of the bench, blocking her way out and watching her curiously.

"Oh my God! Hasn't anyone ever told you not to do that?" Gabriella snapped at him and narrowed her eyes as his eyes began to rove over her and she suddenly felt very exposed in her white singlet top and shorts.

"Do what? Wait until someone notices me?" Troy asked and Gabriella fought with the urge to get out of the kitchen as fast as she could and instead stayed where she was.

"No. Scare the living daylights out of someone!" Gabriella exclaimed and Troy shrugged taking a step towards her, Gabriella suddenly had the urge to step backwards and instead took a breath and held her ground.

"Sorry. You know, you're not very good at avoiding someone." Troy said in conversationally, as if the topic of her avoiding someone was something that they could discuss when it had been made very clear that she was trying to avoid him.

"Oh really? And you would know that how?" Gabriella snapped at him, furious with herself as she let her eyes drift downwards and tried not to gulp at the powerful body that was displayed by the shirt he was wearing.

"Because I know you're trying to avoid me and if you were good at avoiding people, you wouldn't have come down from your room until you heard either Anna or Chad shouting for you." Troy said and Gabriella glared at him, trying to not react as he took another step toward her a smirk pulled on his lips as she tilted her head to look up at him.

"Why? Is that because that's what you would have done?" Gabriella shot at him defensively as he took another step towards her.

"Maybe. But I don't think we should talk about you're pathetic avoidance skills at the moment," Troy said and Gabriella folded her arms tightly across her chest at his words.

"What makes you think I actually want to talk to you?" Gabriella snapped back at him and managed to control the urge to slap as he smirked at her, apparently pleased with her reaction to his suggestion. Gabriella tried to maintain her glare as he took another step toward her and she found that if she wanted to avoid contact with him she had to take a step back.

"Now I'm hurt. How long has it been Brie, two? Three years?" Troy asked and Gabriella took in a deep breath at his smirking face, wanting to slap him but realizing that he was going somewhere with this and she was too curious to ruin it with a slap.

"Oh, gee Troy, I thought you could count better than that. It's been four years." She said sweetly and Troy took another step towards her, suddenly reminding Gabriella of a predator who was enjoying playing with his prey.

"Really? That long? Hmmm, I wouldn't have guessed. You look good." He took another step and Gabriella forced herself to step backwards, not wanting to be that close to him as her heart began to thump erratically again.

"Too bad I can't say the same." Gabriella said sweetly and was surprised when Troy let out a chuckle, dispelling the tension that was beginning to thicken if only for a moment.

"I forgot you were so snappy," he said and Gabriella stayed silent, wanting to ask what else he had forgotten when he continued. "I don't want to make your life hard Brie, but there are some things that need to be said that I don't think I ever got to say to you." Troy said and Gabriella felt her chest constrict at his words, before anger flared in her chest. She took a step toward him and looked up.

"Okay. I'll go first, I made a mistake with you four years ago Troy and it won't happen again. You can talk until you're blue in the face but I promise you that I am going to be completely unaffected by you and whatever it is that you want to say. You swayed me before, Troy and I can guarantee that you will not sway me again." Gabriella spat at him and barely had time to feel pleased with herself, when Troy reacted.

Gabriella's breath caught in throat as she found herself surrounded by Troy. Her back was pressed against the fridge, his arms caging her in as his body pressed against hers making Gabriella very aware of her own fragile body and the raw masculinity that she was enclosed in. Troy leaned his face down to hers and Gabriella forced herself not to shudder as she met his darkened eyes.

"Be careful what you say Gabriella. I distinctly remember you saying something like that four years ago and you and I both know how that ended," Gabriella shivered at his husky, controlled voice. "We both know how much I like a challenge and I think you just issued one. So you can listen to me now." Gabriella turned her head away and missed the way Troy smirked.

"Troy let me go." The demand sounded weak, even to her own ears and Gabriella squeezed her eyes shut as Troy simply shifted slightly, rubbing against her.

"I'm going to make you another guarantee, by the end of these three weeks; you'll end up back in my bed. You're still affected by me, Gabriella, and even though you think you don't want to listen to me, you'll listen to what I have to say even if I have to trap you like this again." Troy's breath on her ear made Gabriella squirm and Gabriella bit her lip hard at his words, not sure how to react to them.

Before she could reply, they both heard the front door open and Gabriella took in a deep breath when Troy released her from where he had her pinned against the fridge. Glancing at him, Gabriella couldn't believe how quickly he had changed as Anna and Chad entered the kitchen arguing about something she wasn't quite sure of.

Glancing at Troy, Gabriella took in a sharp breath. This was going to be a holiday that would either kill her or make her stronger than she already way and just looking at Troy, Gabriella hoped to God that she would be strong enough to get through three weeks with Troy Bolton's promise lingering in her mind.

* * *

A/N: And that's the second chapter! I know a lot of you were really looking forward to finding out what went on with Troy and Gabriella that would make her want to avoid him and there are hints there, but I'm going to wait a little while before the full thing is revealed. It helps with the suspense and if you all find out now, there's going to be no story. Sorry about making Troy seem like a complete jerk but it had to be done. You'll all find out sooner or later, why he acted like that! Anyway, until next time!


	3. Slapped with the Real World

Disclaimer: I do not own 'High School Musical' or any related characters

A/N: Well, the response to this new story is actually quite overwhelming. I wasn't exactly sure how it was going to go down with all of you, simply because it's just that little bit different from what I usually write. The reviews have been absolutely amazing and some of them have made me laugh quite a bit, sadly, the answer to all of your conspiracy theories is no. That's not what happened, one particularly it involved abortion and while I had already toyed with that idea, it just didn't fit; I also didn't want to deal with the debate that comes with abortion. It's a really touchy subject and to address it would actually be quite hard, especially considering I do and don't like the idea of abortion. It depends on what the person is going through. Anyway, I really did enjoy all your reviews, especially the ones which seemed so frustrated with not knowing what was going on, which was relatively all of you, but I can say I'm going to try and make what happened really…different from what everyone expects!

Also, while I would love to update DF and finish C&M, it's going to be completely sporadic. Not because I'm lazy, just because my interest in those two stories needs to be rekindled. Its very, very hard to write a story that you have no interest in and while I would _love_ to finish C&M at the moment, my interests are elsewhere hence why I started writing this story! This means I'm toying with the idea of putting them on hiatus and cowering in a corner over how angry you'd all be or finishing them just not to the very best of my ability and while I would love to appease everyone with an update, at the moment with me opening the word document or them and then closing them, it doesn't look good. Besides, I want to provide the best work for everyone and you can't be your best if you don't want to try! So, enjoy the new chapter!

* * *

_**Memories that Last for Moments**_

**Chapter Three: Slapped with the Real World**

_Straight up, _

_What did you hope to learn about here?_

_If I was someone else, _

_Would this all fall apart?_

_Strange_

_Where were you_

_When we started this gig?_

_I wish the real world_

_Would just stop hassling me. _

_Real World – Matchbox Twenty_

If Troy Bolton thought that she would be swayed by him once again. Then he had another thing coming. There was absolutely no way that she was going to fall back into his bed and under his spell, no matter what he said. The only problem she had now was trying to figure out _how_ she wasn't going to do that. Her track record when Troy Bolton wasn't brilliant as far as she was concerned and Gabriella had a bad feeling that no matter what she did, something was going to happen on this stupid trip to LA that she had stupidly agreed to go on before she found out exactly who was going to be there to pick her up at the airport.

Lord, she was never going to forget walking off that plane and seeing him again and she _definitely _wasn't going to forget being pinned to a fridge by him.

It worried her too. Her inability to forget him. She wanted to forget everything that she had ever had to do with Troy Bolton and the problem was she couldn't. She was so completely unable to forget anything and everything to do with Troy Bolton, Gabriella wondered why she hadn't listened to Sharpay and gone into therapy when he left. Maybe if she had listened to her blonde friend, she wouldn't be lying in her bed, staring at the ceiling and counting down the minutes until she heard Troy and Chad leave for their morning jog. She only knew about their jog when Chad had invited Anna and herself on it the night before and even then, Troy had smirked and went to make a comment about how lethargic she actually was.

Which was true, it just surprised her that Troy could remember something like that when he couldn't even remember how long it had been since they'd seen each other last.

That had hurt; Gabriella found herself musing, as she rolled over and strained to hear the guys leaving. She'd spent the last four years trying to forget him and the hurt he had caused her and yet, he couldn't even get the years right and even though she had tried to convince herself it had only hurt because he had been so…arrogant about it, she knew that she was lying to herself. It had hurt because the way he had said had made it seem like it hadn't meant anything to him, like she had been just another notch on his belt and, Gabriella let out a bitter laugh at thought, four years on and she'd still thought that what they had had meant more to him than anything else.

_How stupid could she get?_

Shaking her hair out of her eyes, Gabriella rolled over and eyed her phone which had begun vibrating the moment she rolled over. For a second, she considered completely ignoring it, knowing that it was one of three people and not really wanting to speak to any of them. Sighing, Gabriella lazily reached out and plucked her phone off the bedside table, knowing that she would have to deal with the wrath of whoever was calling and knowing that she probably wouldn't be able to deal with the wrath, especially if she'd had an encounter with Troy before hand.

"Hello?" She didn't bother to look at the caller id and knew that whoever was on the other had assumed that she knew who was calling.

"Are you up yet?" Sharpay demanded and Gabriella rolled back over, resting on her back and studying the flecks of Californian sunshine on her ceiling.

"Kinda. I'm awake, but I'm not up and walking around." Gabriella replied, stretching luxuriously as she imagined Sharpay rolling her eyes dramatically.

"Good. At least you're awake. We're going out to brunch." Sharpay said and Gabriella's eyes, which had closed lazily, popped open.

"Say what? Shar, do I have too? I figured you'd wait at least two or three days before you decide to meet up." Gabriella snapped at her friend, sitting up and running a hand through her unruly curls.

"We're going to brunch. Yes, you have to. No I'm not going to wait that long, hello your living in the same house as Troy, who need I remind you-" Gabriella cut Sharpay off quickly before Sharpay continued, not wanting to relive the moment she'd found herself reliving in a dream during the night.

"No. You don't actually. I was reminded last night." Gabriella shot out before Sharpay could continue her barely started rant. Sharpay was quiet for a moment and Gabriella wondered what she was thinking, feeling slightly worried as the silence stretched.

"What the _fuck_ did he do to you?" Sharpay suddenly snarled into the phone and Gabriella suppressed a giggle at the viciousness in Sharpay's voice, before wondering how Sharpay had figured out that Troy had done something to her the night before.

"Shar, this isn't a conversation I want to have over the phone. So tell me where we're going to have brunch and I'll meet you there." Gabriella said, glancing at the clock and noting the time. Eight o'clock. Which meant Sharpay would want to meet at least at ten, which gave her two hours to figure out how she was going to get to wherever Sharpay wanted to have brunch.

"The Aroma Café. I'll see you there at nine-thirty, no excuses and _don't_ bring Anna." Sharpay instructed fiercely and Gabriella let out a loud sigh, not sure how to not bring Anna to a brunch with Sharpay when Anna was the one she was staying with.

"Okay. I'll see you there at nine-thirty." Gabriella said and knew that Sharpay would be satisfied with that.

"Good. I'll see you there and you can tell me what's going on." Sharpay said meaningfully and Gabriella knew that there was someone in the room with her friend as she said a hasty goodbye and hung up.

Throwing her phone down, Gabriella knew that she only had an hour and a half to shower, get ready and avoid Anna. Not to mention she'd probably use the hour to figure out where the hell The Aroma Café was. She knew it would be simpler to just ask Chad but Gabriella didn't know if she could risk facing Troy and then Sharpay. Both were rather formidable when she thought about it.

Letting out a sigh, Gabriella swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. Glancing around, she found the baggy shirt she'd worn the night before in an attempt to shield her body from Troy's gaze. It had worked, sort of. Whenever she'd caught him looking at her, he'd smirk and remind Gabriella that he'd seen what she was desperately trying to hide from him. Pulling it on, Gabriella was resigned to believe that it was better than nothing and proceeded to head downstairs, with every intention of having a peaceful breakfast while Chad and Troy were on their run. Pulling her hair up into a high ponytail, Gabriella went down the stairs quickly before turning the corner and coming face to face with two shirtless men.

Two powerfully built, sweaty, shirtless men. It was enough to make her stop in her tracks.

For a moment, Gabriella could only gape openly as Chad and Troy stretched, standing in the kitchen and gulping water. Her eyes admired Chad's body for a moment, before turning to Troy's. Her mouth went dry as her eyes dragged up over his toned chest. Very much against her will, Gabriella's eyes latched onto a drop of sweat and followed it as it slid down Troy's neck and weaved its way down the contours of his chest. Shaking her head slightly, Gabriella tried to regain control of herself. As quickly as she could, she closed her mouth and swallowed. Taking a deep breath, she took another step forward and let out a gentle cough, alerting both of them to her presence.

Both Troy and Chad looked up, surprised, and Gabriella let a hesitant smile settle on her mouth as Chad's face quickly broke into a wide grin. As fast as she could, Gabriella allowed her eyes to drift over to Troy once again and tried not to swallow at his shadow of a smirk and dark eyes, which were watching her carefully.

"Hey Gabs! What has you up at this time of morning?" Chad asked. Gabriella shrugged; not noticing the way Chad moved from behind the bench and nudged Troy in the back but noticing the flicker in Troy's eyes.

"Well, I just got a call from a friend who lives here in LA and she wants to meet me for brunch and I agreed because I know Anna won't surface until around eleven. So I was wondering if you could take me to meet her or give me directions or something." Gabriella explained, throwing a reason for agreeing to meet Sharpay in that would satisfy Chad and praying that Chad would agree to take her.

"Oh. Right. Well, where are you going?" Chad asked and Gabriella wracked her brains for a moment, ignoring the chuckle that emitted from Troy and knowing he was laughing because she had forgotten.

"The Aroma Café," Gabriella replied and felt her heart drop drastically when Chad's grin faded a little bit.

"Seriously? Damn Gabs, I wish I could take you but I've got to head in the opposite direction. Troy?" Chad asked, turning to look at his best friend who was in mid-sip. Reluctantly, Gabriella turned her eyes to Troy as well and found her eyes drifting downward before she caught herself and focused her eyes on his chin. Troy lowered his water bottle and tapped it thoughtfully, his gaze on Gabriella.

"I can. I'm heading to the offices anyway. What time do you need to get there?" Gabriella glanced up, startled at his gentle tone and unsure whether or not this was the same guy who had trapped her against a fridge the night before.

"Nine-thirty. Is that okay for you?" Gabriella asked and then wanted to kick herself when she met his ocean blue eyes which were watching her with such thoughtfulness that Gabriella found herself feeling wary. Before she could think about what seemed off in his eyes, Troy glanced at the clock on the microwave and nodded.

"Yep. That's good for me. We'll need to leave by nine which means you've got about forty-five minutes to get ready. Enough time for you?" Troy asked pleasantly, raising his water bottle and taking another sip from it.

"Yeah. Thank you." Gabriella said and as Troy looked back at her, his hair falling into his eyes, a smile curving his lips Gabriella felt her pulse flutter at the familiarity of his gaze, the way he seemed so different from the night before.

"Good. I'm going to have a shower." Troy nodded at her and then Chad before, brushing past the two of them and, whether it was deliberate or not, brushed his hand over the top of her thighs. The fluttering of her pulse intensified and Gabriella fought to remember that she didn't want anything to do with him as his body past so close to hers and memories of what it had been like to be pressed against it invaded her mind.

Taking a deep breath, Gabriella glanced at Chad who was looking the other way innocently, as if he hadn't seen exactly how close Troy had been to her and where, exactly, his hand had brushed. Rolling her eyes, Gabriella headed into the kitchen and grabbed a box of cereal that Anna had brought and watched Chad through narrowed eyes. He looked to…intrigued about something and Gabriella could only guess that he looked intrigued about what had just passed between her and Troy.

"What's the intelligent look for?" She asked, shoving a handful of the sugary cereal into her mouth and chewing slowly as Chad gave her the once over.

"What's with you and Troy? He never agrees to take someone on his way to the office." Chad said and Gabriella shrugged, swallowing her cereal and wondering how she could palm this off without arousing suspicion in Chad.

"Nothing. Maybe he's not feeling like an uptight bastard like he was the other night." She suggested innocently and wasn't surprised when Chad's eyes flared slightly at her suggestion, giving her the impression that Chad wasn't all that happy with her words.

"Nah. Last night he was just tired and recovering from shock." Chad said knowingly and Gabriella eyed him. She knew she shouldn't underestimate Chad, but the way he had just said that made her think that Chad knew a lot more about what was going on than he let on and now that she thought about it, Chad hadn't seemed all that surprised when Troy had greeted her in the airport the day before.

"Really? I wonder why he was shocked." Gabriella mused innocently. She got a horrible feeling in her stomach when something flickered across Chad's face, almost like he was considering calling her out for something that he didn't know anything about and then relaxed when the look past.

"Yeah, I wonder," Chad agreed vaguely, Gabriella let out the breath she was holding slowly. "So, who are you meeting?" Chad asked curiously and Gabriella jerked, glancing at him before comprehending his question.

"Sharpay Evans." Gabriella replied and was shocked when an amused smirk flitted onto Chad's face.

"Really? You're meeting Sharpay?" Chad asked and something about his voice made Gabriella wonder how, exactly, Chad knew the name of one of her oldest friends.

"Uh…yes. Why?" She replied, putting down the cereal box and wondering what her friend hadn't said on the phone when she'd told Sharpay who she was staying with.

"No reason. Just tell her that I really enjoyed her company the other night." Chad said and Gabriella's eyes widened at his implication. Before she could respond to his words or even open her mouth to question him, Troy walked back into the kitchen, dressed casually.

"Showers free if you want one, Brie." Troy said off-handedly and Gabriella's eyes swung from Chad's smirking face to Troy's impassive one and she wondered, once again, what had happened to the jerk the night before.

"Thanks." Gabriella mumbled and got out of the kitchen as quickly as her feet could carry her, her mind whirring.

Why hadn't Sharpay told her she knew Troy was living in LA? Why hadn't Sharpay mentioned knowing Chad? What the hell was her friend playing at? And why on earth would Sharpay get involved with someone like Chad? As far as she knew, Chad was about as far from her type as she could get. Sharpay had a thing for irresponsible, slightly weaker men who chose to worship her and Gabriella knew that Chad wasn't as irresponsible as his sister made him out to be, he wasn't close to irresponsible and he definitely wasn't weak. Chad enjoyed having control over things and would only worship someone if he was completely serious about them, all three traits would have been an immediate turn off for Sharpay.

Sighing, Gabriella shut the door to her room and glanced at her clock. Eight-thirty. She only had half an hour to get ready and Gabriella wrinkled her nose slightly at the idea of having a shower, she'd had one the night before and didn't particularly feel the need to have another one. Opening her suitcase, Gabriella grabbed a pair of jeans and a plain black shirt, deliberately deciding to dress down knowing that Sharpay would dress up and not feeling like trying to compete with the flashy blonde. Pulling them on, she quickly headed for the bathroom and brushed her teeth as fast as she could, hearing Chad holler something about having a shower. Leaving her hair down, Gabriella ran back to her room and grabbed her phone and wallet, not wanting to drag a bag with her.

Stepping out of her room and shutting the door, Gabriella glanced at Anna's shut door and wondered how her friend could sleep through something as loud as Chad running up and down the hallway. Even though she knew her friend was a heavy sleeper Gabriella still found it hard to believe that she would sleep through Chad's antics. As she stared at her door, Gabriella contemplated opening it and making sure Anna was asleep before she was stopped by Troy's voice.

"She drank the bottle of vodka that was in the fridge last night; I'd advise you to leave her alone." The words were simple and made sense, so when Gabriella felt a flash of irritation she knew it wasn't because of his common sense, it was because he knew what she had been thinking.

"And you and her brother didn't try and stop her?" Gabriella asked coolly, turning to face Troy who had just come out of his bedroom wearing a crisp, white button up shirt with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a tie done up.

"Because we didn't actually think she was drinking that much. She'd been drinking sporadically and downed half the bottle after you'd gone to bed." Troy shrugged and Gabriella let out a sigh, knowing how hard it was to stop Anna drinking when she did something like that.

"Nothing like a welcome to LA present than getting drunk with her brother." She said wryly and Troy chuckled, leaving Gabriella once again to wonder what had happened to him being a jerk.

"We've got to go." Troy said suddenly and Gabriella nodded, deciding that it was better to go with whatever had gotten into him than asking about it.

She didn't understand why he was being so nice, but the way he was acting made it easier for her to forget what had happened the night before. It made it easier for her to forget being trapped against a fridge by him and even though she knew the complete three-sixty of his personality should have been something that worried her, it wasn't and that in itself should have been worrying. But she wasn't worrying about it; instead she was sitting comfortably in the passenger seat of Troy's Holden Monaro, a car she hadn't heard of, trying not to watch him drive and wishing that he would slow down, just a little bit. Not because his driving was dangerous, if anything Gabriella felt safe sitting in the passenger's seat because she could see that Troy was in complete control of the car. No, safety wasn't the issue, the fact that he was driving fast combined with the picture he made was what made her want to slow down a little bit. Aviators covered his eyes, his tie was loose, his shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows and his hair was blowing as the wind blew in from the window.

Combined with his driving, Troy looked dangerous, controlled and so devastatingly attractive that Gabriella was having trouble remembering why she had felt so much contempt for him only hours before.

She was having even more trouble trying not to stare at him and be completely obvious about it.

Sighing, she finally managed to tear her eyes away from him and looked out the window. As she stared out at the passing traffic, Gabriella felt relief when her hormones released her mind and a tinge of worry slowly began to settle on her mind. Now that she was thinking a little bit more clearly, Gabriella had to wonder what the hell Troy was playing at. Where on earth had the nice guy act come from? It was so…weird that last night he had seemed so predatory, so confident in assuming that she was just going to fall back into his bed while she had been so mad at being trapped by him and forced to endure memories she hadn't pulled out in four years. Glancing at him again, Gabriella wondered what had gone through his mind when he'd cornered her in the kitchen; she wondered if she still had any effect on him whatsoever and then tried not to think about it. Thinking about something like that meant that she still cared about him and she didn't. She knew she didn't.

Feeling the car slow, Gabriella looked up and only managed to catch the sign for the Aroma Café as Troy pulled into the curb and shut the car off. Wanting to sigh in relief at having survived the car trip without anymore challenges on her half being issued, she didn't. Instead, she undid her seatbelt and opened the door, barely noticing Troy get out of the car. Opening the door, she stepped out and turned around to shut it. As soon as she heard it snap shut, she turned around and came face to face with Troy.

"Oh. Um, thanks." She muttered and concentrated on a shoulder as she saw him take off his Aviators, not willing to look up at him.

"Not going to look at me?" His voice was light and teasing, causing Gabriella to once again wonder where the Mr Nice Guy demeanor had come from. Then she made the mistake of glancing up and meeting his eyes.

Shock reverberated through her at the storm within them. They were so dark and Gabriella took a stumbling step backwards as he took a step forward.

"Uh…Troy, what are you doing?" She asked, frantically looking around as he took another step toward her. He was doing it again. He was going to trap her up against a car and make it look like they were lovers who couldn't get enough of each other.

"Relax, I'm not going to take chunks out of you, I just want to ask you a question." His reassurance wasn't all that comforting as Gabriella's back hit the side of the car and Troy placed one hand next to her shoulder and leaned on it. She forced herself not swallow as she once again was encompassed in his raw masculinity.

"Really? Cause it actually seems like your threatening me!" She exclaimed and knew that her words lacked any passion. Troy's shoulders shook and Gabriella didn't know if it was because he was laughing at her or because he was shrugging.

"I'm not," he shifted and Gabriella's hand pressed against his chest in an attempt to keep him away from her. "But I'm still going to ask you that question." Though he'd seemed to obey the fact that she wanted their bodies touching, Gabriella tried to suppress the tremble that wanted to ripple through her when she felt Troy's breath on her ear, his voice, slow and sensual, in her ear.

"And why would you be curious now?" He stiffened for a moment and Gabriella felt a moment's pleasure at having the contemptuous question hit home and then wondered why something as simple as that could cause him to stiffen the way he did.

"I'll answer that one later," Gabriella's knees felt weak and she nearly jumped when she swore she felt his tongue briefly run over the curve of her ear. "What I want to know is whether or not you told Anna exactly what made you react to me the way you did." He whispered against her ear, nuzzling and Gabriella felt her knees weaken just that little bit more.

For a moment she didn't reply. She didn't know _how_ to reply. Her heart was hammering and her brain was beginning to shut down completely even as a memory forced its way through her mind. Reminding her that he'd done this once before, four years ago. She remembered being furious with him and she remembered being pressed up to a door. She could remember him kissing behind her ear as he whispered things in her ear, reassurances, and promises and closing her eyes, for a moment, just a moment, Gabriella remembered exactly how he had kissed her and remembering it caused her heart to stop. Hurt filled her. Opening her eyes again, she pushed against him.

"Troy get off me, please get off me." She didn't know if he responded because she'd asked him too or the desperation that ran through her and came out in her voice. As soon as he had pulled away from her, Gabriella took a deep breath and told herself to calm down.

"Are you…" he started and trailed off when she shook her head at him. Gabriella didn't know whether she was shaking from rage or hurt but she looked up and met his eyes, dismissing the concern in them, assuming it was because he could have gotten in trouble.

"You're a jerk. You are a complete _jerk_!" She exclaimed and took another breath. "No. I haven't told Anna and it's none of your business if I do or not! _I hate you!_" The words left her mouth before she could stop them and Gabriella took malicious pleasure in watching hurt, however brief, flash through his beautiful blue eyes. Before he could react and before she could realize that hurt had been the emotion that had run through his eyes, she'd managed to push past him.

Without looking back, Gabriella stalking into the café and spotted Sharpay immediately. With every intent on unleash anger on the friend that knew he had been here all along, Gabriella stalked over to her, folded her arms and glared down at the blonde.

"You _knew_ he was here!" She hissed and Sharpay looked up, completely startled at the sudden entrance of her friend and before she could recover, Gabriella continued. "You fucking knew he was here and you didn't tell me! Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you call me back once you received my email? Why the hell didn't you tell me!?" Gabriella demanded, trying so hard to keep her voice low and menacing. Sharpay looked up at her, the beautiful blonde looking very much like a deer caught in headlights before she let out a resigned sigh.

"How'd you figure that one out?" Sharpay asked casually, motioning for Gabriella to sit down. For a moment, Gabriella considered refusing and then decided she didn't have enough energy to argue standing up. She lowered herself into the chair and folded her arms.

"Chad. Something about enjoying your company the other night. Seriously, how could you not tell me Shar?" Gabriella ignored the faint blush that appeared on Sharpay's face at her words, wanting an answer and wanting it soon.

"Because I knew you would never come out here if you did. Come on Gabs, it's been four years. You've got to make progress sometime." Sharpay's words were reasonable and her tone was measured. Staring at her, Gabriella bit her lip.

"Its not as simple as you seem to think it is. Sharpay, I was fine until I came to LA. I've been here or what? A day? And already I feel like an emotional mess." Gabriella snapped at her Sharpay, ignoring the way the blonde raised her eyebrows.

"Why? What has he done to you?" She asked and Gabriella knew that Sharpay's measured tone was only a precaution in case she was still contemplating blowing up on her.

"Uh…well. Last night, he sort of trapped me up against the fridge and told me he could guarantee that by the end of these three weeks I was going to end up back in his bed," Gabriella felt some relief when Sharpay's eyes darkened considerably at her words. "And then this morning, just before I stormed in here he had me up against the car. Sharpay, do you honestly know what its like to be surrounded by someone who is so completely…_male?_" Gabriella asked, knowing her friend would understand what she was talking about. Sharpay's experiences with men were legendary and Gabriella knew she would have at least some idea of what it was like to be surrounded by someone like Troy.

"Kind of. Though, most of the time I want them to surround me and be so incredibly male. It's hot. And I'm guessing for you, it's disconcerting." Sharpay said and Gabriella shrugged, relaxing slightly as she watched Sharpay sip her Latte.

"Its not disconcerting because he's surrounding me…it's disconcerting because it's _Troy_ and he really is so male. I haven't been that close to anyone since, well, since…" Gabriella trailed off as Sharpay reached over and touched her hand as a way of conveying she knew what her friend was talking about.

"It's okay to feel like that Gabriella, especially if you're not over him or what happened." Sharpay said reassuringly and was shocked when Gabriella yanked her hand back. Gabriella stared at Sharpay like she had gone mad and trying to ignore the fact that Sharpay's words seemed to be a slap in the face for her.

"I _am_ over him. Shar, right before I came in here I told him I hated him." Gabriella said and a horrible sinking feeling in her stomach when a look that meant that Sharpay was thinking about what she had said.

"Gabriella, just because you said that you hated him doesn't mean that you're over him. It just means that maybe; just maybe you did the right thing by coming here to LA. It just means that you hate him for something I don't think either of us really understands." Sharpay said quietly and Gabriella suddenly felt the need to avert her eyes. There was too much truth in Sharpay's statement, too much knowledge in the way her friend was looking at her.

"How can I do the right thing in coming to LA and saying I hate him?" Gabriella asked, not sure how that worked and then glanced back at Sharpay.

"Beats me," Sharpay shrugged and Gabriella giggled. "You know what I think you should do?" Sharpay continued and Gabriella suddenly felt a pressing need to change the conversation. So she did.

"You what _I_ think you should do? I think you should tell me what, exactly, you have been doing with Chad Danforth." Gabriella said and saw the look in Sharpay's eyes that told her that Sharpay would go with the change, but they would return to the subject.

"All sorts of unspeakable, nasty things." Sharpay replied with a smirk that was a little too dreamy for Gabriella's liking.

"Oh really? And the fact that you seem to be getting dreamy about him would indicate what?" She asked and Sharpay shrugged, the smirk threatening to turn into a grin as Gabriella examined her.

"It would indicate that the little game we're playing has been full of fantastic moves and _positions_." Both girls burst into laughter at Sharpay's innuendo and Gabriella found herself shaking her head in disbelief.

"I can't believe you and Chad have been-" Sharpay cut Gabriella off with a wicked grin.

"Enjoying bouts of hot, sweaty, completely mind-blowing sex?" She said with a flick of her beach blonde hair that Gabriella _knew_ came from a bottle, despite all Sharpay's protests that it was all natural.

"Uh. I was going to say something totally different but we can use that too." Gabriella said, glancing around to make sure that no-one had actually heard what Sharpay had said and then doubting that any of them would be surprised at her words.

"Of course you were. Anyway, back to what I think you should do about Troy," Sharpay said and before Gabriella could protest, she continued. "I think you should kiss him. If I recall correctly you used to say that he could make you melt as soon as his lips touched yours. So, I think that if you kiss him and he doesn't make you feel anything, _anything_ at all, then you are completely and utterly over him." Sharpay announced and Gabriella choked on the mouthful of latte she had stolen from Sharpay.

"_What?_ You think I should kiss him to prove I'm completely over him and that I really do hate him and that it was a good idea for me to come to LA? Uh-uh. No way. Not going to happen." Gabriella exclaimed as soon as she was sure she would stop coughing. Sharpay raised her eyebrows and tapped a nail against the hard surface of their table.

"Why not? You kiss him and then, if you really are over him, you don't feel anything." Sharpay said and Gabriella had a feeling that she felt like she was speaking to a five-year old. A very stupid five-year old.

"Right, and if I feel something? What then?" Gabriella asked, pointing out the one major flaw in what Sharpay considered a fool proof plan. Sharpay shrugged.

"Well then you're clearly not over him and you probably don't hate him quite as much as you want too. Besides, would it really be so bad to kiss someone who is so hot?" Sharpay asked, attempting to lighten the darkening look on Gabriella's face and then wincing when she realized that she'd only made it worse.

"What's so bad about it? Sharpay, do _you_ have any idea of what I'm feeling right now?" Gabriella asked slowly, trying to make Sharpay see that there was more to seeing Troy again than her friend seemed to understand.

"No, I don't. Why don't you enlighten me?" Sharpay snapped and Gabriella hid a grin at Sharpay's irritation at being spoken to like she was stupid.

"I'm mad Shar. I'm mad at the fact that I'm here and Troy's here. I'm hurt because you knew he was here and didn't tell me and I don't know how to deal with being made a guarantee that I'm pretty sure'll come through. I don't get why he trapped me up against the side of his car this morning when he'd been being so nice this morning and I absolutely hate the fact that above everything whenever he's that close to me, my pulse jumps and all I want to do is for him to find me as stupid and ugly the way he wanted too when I first met him!" Gabriella said, talking so fast she wondered if Sharpay would be able to understand her jumbled words anymore than she understood her jumbled emotions. Sharpay didn't speak for a moment, instead she leaned back in her chair and studied Gabriella.

"So you're mad at me and Anna for bringing you here, yet you're not mad that Troy's here?" She asked and Gabriella blinked in confusion before Sharpay continued. "You're hurt because the guy you're 'over' told you last night that by the end of your stay here, you'll end up back in his bed, which is an indication of the fact that he still finds you attractive enough to want to fuck you, is that right?" Sharpay examined Gabriella as her jaw fell open and she stared at her friend.

"Well…I don't know ab-" Sharpay cut her off before she could continue and Gabriella snapped her mouth shut.

"And over all of that, you want to stop your body responding to him the way it does and you want him to find you unattractive and dimwitted so you don't have to think about the fact that above everything, you still have feelings for him that you hid from yourself in an attempt to forget about him and the hurt he caused you in that past?" Sharpay asked knowingly and for a moment, Gabriella wanted to deny everything that was coming out her friends mouth and then knew that there was absolutely no way she could.

"I guess. What do I do?" She asked after a moment and Sharpay shrugged, finishing off her latte and then signaling for the waiter she had been constantly shooing away during their conversation to come and take their orders.

"Well, truthfully? It sounds like you've been living in a…dream world. One where you were cold enough to freeze out the hurt and anything else that went along with the memories of Troy. So you've come to LA, met Troy and the real world has decided to slap you in the face and remind you that its still there and is ready to piss you off. Its actually quite simple." Sharpay said, smiling dazzlingly at the waiter who was heading towards their table. Gabriella slumped in her seat as Sharpay placed both their orders, not caring what she was having as long as it was food.

"So, where were you when the 'real world' decided to slap me in the face?" She asked dully as Sharpay sent the waiter away.

"Waiting just beyond that little cocoon. Gabriella, you do realize that if you were anyone else, they would have run away screaming from what you've been presented with right?" Sharpay replied and Gabriella shrugged.

"I nearly did," she muttered and let out a sigh. "The real world sucks." She announced and Sharpay, instead of laughing at such an obvious statement, nodded in agreement.

"That it does. I still think you should kiss him." She agreed and Gabriella shook her head.

"No. I'm not ready for that much of the real world yet." She sighed and Sharpay let it go, both girls settling back into their chairs and looking around.

As she looked, Gabriella wanted to not think about what Sharpay had said and concentrate on the cute baby smiling at her. Instead, she sighed. Right now, the real world to her was Troy Bolton and Gabriella hated that she'd lived four years without once entering it and now the real world wasn't going to stop hassling her.

* * *

A/N: Well, that's twelve pages of writing and I'm not sure how much of it made sense. Anyway, you guys still don't know what's happened and while I was considering telling you in this chapter, I thought of something totally different to do it with. Anyway, I hope that it wasn't too long and you all enjoyed. Raise your hand if you think Troy's a jerk! I know he is. Though as you're going later discover he's a jerk with a reason to be one. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'll update when I can! Also let me know if you thought it was too long.


	4. Hurting that Much More

Disclaimer: I do not own 'High School Musical' or any related characters.

A/N: Well, as far as school work has gone I have achieved…zip. It's so amazing how you plan to do all these things in the holidays and then when you're actually confronted with the idea of _doing_ work, nothing seems to get done. I actually have only just realized that I have a book to read and really need to get it done. Extension English absolutely sucks! Here's my advice if you live in Australia and are under the senior years, don't take it! Actually, don't take that seriously. I have a habit of when I'm really frustrated with my school work, I tell everyone who's younger than me to not go onto the senior years. I know it's not really a thing that should be said, but trust me when I get frustrated about something that's it! I say anything, doesn't matter, not many people listen to me unless they're as frustrated as I am with their work. Still, it's still annoying that I'm going to do all these things and never actually get around to doing them!

Anyway, the reviews are absolutely amazing, as always (she says modestly) I was actually quite flattered by one of you, who called me the next Stephanie Meyer, I really appreciate that not only because I admire what she's done with the Twilight series but because I am often really insecure about what I write and how I write it. But that's because my way with words is something that not many people know about, besides you guys of course! And I sometimes feel awkward when someone asks to read something of what I'm writing, hence why barely anyone at school knows that I achieved 15/15 on my creative writing piece for my exam. The people who did read it, basically the people in my free (all of three people) were so stunned I didn't really know what to do when they started complaining about their stories compared to mine. So confidence level, not really high, which is why I appreciate all the reviews I get. Especially the long ones, that are often critical and full of praise. Anyway, I'm glad I'm frustrating some of you with the fact that I'm leaving hints, just none of you know exactly what happened between Troy and Gabriella.

* * *

_**Memories that Last for Moments**_

**Chapter Four: Hurting that Much More **

_My mind is gone, I'm spinning round  
And deep inside, my tears I'll drown  
I'm losing grip, what's happening  
I stray from love, this is how I feel  
This time was different  
Felt like, I was just a victim  
And it cut me like a knife  
When you walked out of my life  
Now I'm, in this condition  
And I've, got all the symptoms  
Of a girl with a broken heart  
But no matter what you'll never see me cry_

_Cry – Rihanna_

She was _not_ going to kiss him. No matter what Sharpay said, she was not going to kiss Troy Bolton just to see if she really was over him and that she really did hate him the way she had claimed to only hours before. A claim, Gabriella thought, that she was beginning to regret immensely. Not because she didn't think she shouldn't have said it, but because when she'd calmed down enough to recall Troy's face and now that she was calm, she could clearly remember seeing the hurt flash through his eyes. The hurt she had caused and the hurt she should have been relishing. The hurt she should have been taking as a compensation for the hurt he had caused her. Instead, that flash of hurt had reopened something in her that Gabriella had long forgotten about. Something that reminded her that once, four years ago, Troy had meant something to her. Something that was making her fiercely regret the words 'I hate you' ever leaving her mouth and she _hated_ it. She absolutely hated the fact that she wanted to take them back, and no matter how much she wanted to convince herself that she wanted to repeat them at a more appropriate time, Gabriella knew that the part that had been opened by his hurt was whispering that she didn't want to say them ever again.

She didn't want him to think she hated him and she hated that even more. Why couldn't she just get passed that?

"Please tell me that you've made coffee?" Anna's ragged voice caused Gabriella to start and she glanced up from where she had been staring at the kitchen countertop to take in her bedraggled best friend, who looked probably as good as how she felt.

"Morning," Gabriella greeted glancing at the clock, "or should I say afternoon?" She grinned as Anna pushed some dark hair out of her eyes and glared at her.

"Just give me some coffee!" She snapped and Gabriella laughed, unable to help herself. She had to control it when Anna winced and she realized that she was laughing rather loudly.

"Okay, okay, settle down. So, do you remember anything from last night? Aside from drinking the bottle of vodka that was in the fridge?" Gabriella asked casually, pouring a cup of coffee and handing it to her friend. Anna took a sip, sighed in pleasure and settled herself onto one of the stools.

"Not really. I can vaguely remember trying to proposition Troy though. Something about how if he didn't take me to bed I was going to faint on him. Except I don't think I said 'take me to bed' I think I said something completely different. It implied sex though." Anna replied and Gabriella felt her stomach drop at Anna's words, her mind frantically trying to remember if she'd woken up at any time during the night to suspicious noises.

"What'd Troy do?" She asked casually and Anna pulled a face. Gabriella stared at her unable to decipher the face and waited.

"No. He laughed at me and told me that my brother was in the room. I didn't actually comprehend what he'd said." Anna said and then groaned. "Oh my God, I asked Troy to have sex with me when Chad was in the room." Gabriella struggled to hold back giggles at her friend's realization and there was something else. Her amusement was laced with relief at the fact that Troy hadn't taken her friend up on her offer. Relief that shouldn't have been there.

"I bet Chad reacted to that well." Gabriella commented and Anna just shrugged, sipping her coffee again before sighing.

"I wouldn't know. I only remember that because I think I must have been incredibly embarrassed." Anna said and Gabriella laughed, finding it hard to believe that her friend had been embarrassed.

"Really? I can't imagine that at all." She said and Anna narrowed her eyes at her friend before silence fell over them.

Gabriella, not really sure what Anna was thinking, glanced back down at her magazine and snorted at the article proclaiming someone as a drug addict. Hollywood got more and more ridiculous as time went on and she briefly wondered how Sharpay, an up-and-coming actress, could actually want to be involved with something like that. Sighing, she looked around the hi-tech kitchen and then frowned.

"An? How can Chad and Troy afford this place?" Gabriella asked and Anna raised her eyebrows at her question, the questioning place a little to condescending for Gabriella's liking.

"You're kidding me, right? You seriously don't know what Troy and Chad do?" She asked disbelievingly and Gabriella let out a sigh.

"Would I be asking if I did?" Gabriella shot back and Anna looked startled for a second before propping her head on her hand and studying her friend. Gabriella waited impatiently as Anna studied her, she didn't know why her friend wanted to interrogate her about a seemingly innocent question and wasn't particularly eager to find out.

"Okay," Anna said at last and Gabriella's shoulders sagged in relief. "Troy and Chad run Bolton Enterprises." Gabriella choked. The coffee she had sipped burnt her mouth and throat as she continued coughing. Anna thumped her on the back, a worried expression on her face as she watched Gabriella grip the counter tightly as she recovered from her coughing fit.

"Bolton Enterprises? You have got to be kidding! When did Jack hand it over?" Gabriella asked her voice raw from the coughing. She only just caught the look of surprise on Anna's face before she realized what she had asked.

"Jack? Who's Jack?" She asked and Gabriella cursed under her breath, this was not a conversation she had wanted to have when her friend was hung over. Wracking her brain, Gabriella tried to come up with a reason, any possible reason, as to why she knew the name of the owner, or whom she presumed was owner, of Bolton Enterprises, the second largest building corporation in America and the largest on the West Coast.

"Uh…well. Who's Jack? Um…Jack's-" A smooth voice cut off her transparent rambling and Gabriella, for the first time since she had arrived, was grateful for Troy showing up. Even if she had a feeling he'd been standing there the entire time watching the two.

"Jack's the head of the company, but by name only. He retired a couple of years ago and handed the running of the company down to me." Troy's face betrayed nothing and Gabriella had a nasty feeling the Jacks retirement had occurred four years ago.

"Oh. How come I've never heard of him?" Anna asked and Gabriella averted her eyes from Troy's face when his eyes flicked over to her, not willing to meet his eyes and read anything into what she saw in them. The way they had darkened when he was hurt was still fresh in her mind and Gabriella wasn't sure if she could handle seeing something like that again.

"We don't really mention him that much. He only calls to make sure we're okay from time to time. He lives in Albuquerque." Troy replied and Anna nodded, Gabriella shifted uncomfortable when she caught a glimpse of the adoring look in Anna's eyes and wondered, once again, what her friend was feeling for Troy.

"Oh right. How does Gabriella know him?" Anna asked and Gabriella's head snapped up at the question. Troy glanced at Gabriella before he answered, seeing her shake of head and wondering briefly if he should listen to her or tell Anna the truth.

"Her father knows him and I think Gabriella met him at some formal functions. Is that right?" Troy asked, looking at Gabriella for confirmation. Relief washing over her, Gabriella smiled at him and nodded.

"Yeah. He and Dad were good friends." She agreed and Troy didn't return her smile, instead he met her gaze and Gabriella swallowed hard. His eyes were so dark. So…deep. Gabriella's breath caught in her throat as she felt herself start to become lost in the deep, dark blue and a brittle tension began to build between the two.

"Oh. So…how did you get the company Troy? Chad only said that you two went into it as partners." Anna asked completely unaware of the tension that had slowly begun to suffocate her best friend. Gabriella's mind was working a mile a minute as she forced herself to breathe. This was too hard. It was too much. His eyes were too indecipherable. They were so dark. The tension was too great.

"Jack passed it down to me four years ago." Troy replied easily and Gabriella's flare of resentment was enough for her too save her from drowning any further in his eyes. How could he reply to that so calmly? How could he dispel the tension like that when it was just reaching boiling point?

"Oh. That's nice. I need a shower." Anna said and Gabriella glanced at her friend, watching as Anna slid from the stool that she'd been sitting on and only just managed not to stagger out of the kitchen.

Sighing, Gabriella reached over to pick up the coffee mug that she'd left behind. With every intent on making it to the sink without so much as a glance in Troy's direction, Gabriella took one step and glanced up at him. He looked thoughtful and for a brief, very brief, moment Gabriella wanted to ask him what he was thinking. She wanted him to sit down and tell her the way he had done once. She could even see it, him sitting and talking and her standing and listening. Because the image was much to clear, because Gabriella could see it almost perfectly, she lowered her gaze from his face and stepped up to the sink.

Dumping the rest of the coffee down the drain, Gabriella found herself lingering at the sink, hoping that while she had her back to him, Troy would leave. For a second, she fiddled with the dishcloth and waited optimistically to hear the sound of Troy leaving the kitchen. She didn't hear it. Sighing, she dropped the cloth and was about to turn around when he spoke.

"Do you really hate me?" His voice was quiet and was laced with something that Gabriella wasn't sure of. Her pulse jumped to life as she spun around. Her eyes met his and Gabriella suddenly realized her error in judgment. His eyes were so magnetic.

"What was that?" She forced the words out of her mouth even though she felt like her throat had closed. She desperately tried to hold some part of herself away from the part that was falling to the thrall of his eyes.

"Do you really hate me?" Troy repeated the question slowly and Gabriella knew it was simply for her benefit than his. Why did he want to know? Why was he asking now, when she knew that she was regretting the words?

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about." She managed, scrambling for some composure as Sharpay's words flashed through her mind. '_I think you should kiss him…if he doesn't make you feel anything, than you're completely and utterly over him._' Some part of her wanted to groan at Sharpay making an entrance in her head at a time like this. Despite this, Gabriella's eyes flicked down to Troy's lips.

"Sure you do. You told me this morning that you hated me. After calling me a jerk a couple of times," Troy's voice was calm and Gabriella's eyes flicked back up to his. His eyes had darkened again and this time, the emotion in his voice was what ran through his eyes.

"Really? I don't remember saying I hate you." Gabriella said with a shrug and Troy's eyebrows rose slightly, almost disbelievingly.

"You regret it." Shock flooded through Gabriella as she heard a faint note of relief in his voice. She had no idea why he felt relief. Then she remembered. Anger broke through shock.

"I didn't say that and I don't see why you care that I hate you. You only want me back in bed, remember?" Gabriella didn't need to add that it shouldn't matter what she felt for him, if what he wanted from her was purely physical. She knew that he heard what she had been thinking. She expected some sort of retort from him or even a smirk of agreement. She didn't expect his eyes to darken even more.

"So, you do hate me?" His voice was warning enough. It had dropped to a husky drawl, that was much too seductive for her liking and Gabriella felt the temperature in the kitchen rise as his eyes ran over her body.

"No." She stated quickly and he took a step toward her, his eyes watching her, a hint of amusement lighting his eyes.

"No? But I thought you did. So you don't hate me?" She knew he was closer to her and Gabriella's mind tried to follow his words as she grasped her last answer and cringed inwardly at the fact that she'd confirmed something that she didn't want to believe.

"I – no." Gabriella answered and wondered if he was trying to confuse her on purpose. She felt confused and wished that he'd trapped her. Her mind worked better when he was surrounding her completely. But he wasn't. He was standing just out of reach, watching her intently.

"No? So you don't hate me but you do hate me?" Gabriella's mind had to work hard as she tried to decipher his sentence, unsure exactly what he had said as Sharpay's voice once again ran through her mind. '_You kiss him and then, if you really are over him, you don't feel anything._' Should she kiss him just to prove to herself that she didn't hate him, she was over him and felt nothing but complete indifference towards him?

Gabriella felt confused as she looked at Troy. She had no idea how this conversation had started and she _really_ had no idea how Troy had gone from sounding halfway to vulnerable to seductive and in control. What made it worse was she had a feeling that he was deliberately trying to confuse her and knew he was doing a good job of it too. Not to mention, Sharpay's voice would _not_ leave her mind and it was beginning to irritate her.

"I-I really don't know." She stuttered and Troy took another step forward, trapping Gabriella successfully against the sink without touching or crowding her.

"Don't you?" His eyes dared her to react to him and Gabriella's breath caught in her throat as Sharpay's voice once again whispered that she should kiss him.

Before she could regret it. Before she could question what had happened and her confused mind could work itself out to prevent her from doing it, Gabriella threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.

The moment her lips touched hers, Gabriella forgot why she'd kissed him in the first place.

A hand rose and held the back of her head as his other arm banded around her waist. Gabriella lost control of the kiss the moment their lips touched and she didn't care. She molded her soft curves to the hard lines of his body and barely registered the sharp edge of the bench as his tongue invaded her mouth. Her system went haywire at the touch and Gabriella's mind blanked out completely as she felt an indescribable amount of pleasure at the brutal pace of the kiss.

God, how had she forgotten that he was such a good kisser? Gabriella vaguely wondered as she buried her hands in his hair and the kiss gentled. Becoming almost tender as he nipped at her lower lip. She felt so good. His mouth was just so clever. Sighing softly against his mouth, Gabriella shivered as she felt his hand slip beneath the shirt she was wearing and come into contact with her bare skin.

'_You feel something_.' Sharpay's triumphant voice snapped through her mind and Gabriella's brain suddenly seemed to wake up. Without a thought, Gabriella shoved him away. Horror, pain and rage rapidly replacing the bone-melting pleasure she had been feeling before.

"No. No. I didn't come here to do this." She said in a strained voice, wiping her lips with the back of her hand.

"Come here to do what?" Troy's voice was impossibly cool and Gabriella looked at him. He examined her and Gabriella knew she looked like she'd been thoroughly kissed.

"I didn't come here to let you back in!" She exclaimed and Troy froze. "I didn't come here to let you screw me over again! I didn't come here to start something I don't want!" She didn't realize that her voice was rising rapidly and barely realized that she was bordering on hysterical as she looked at Troy.

"Oh really? Then why did you kiss me?" His voice sounded tightly controlled and Gabriella wondered if she had missed something as she looked at him.

"Because I wanted to prove that I was over you and that I do hate you!" Gabriella shouted at him. This time she didn't miss the flash of hurt in his eyes and Gabriella instantly regretted her words.

A deafening silence followed her shout and Gabriella suddenly found it difficult to breathe in the kitchen. She needed to get out of there. Knowing that she was close to hyperventilating, Gabriella dug her nails into the palms of her hands and pushed past Troy.

She'd reached the entrance to the kitchen when she heard him speak.

"I never wanted to hurt you." Gabriella's breath caught in her throat at his words. His voice was so soft she knew that she was lucky to even hear him. She spun around on her heel and found that his back was too her.

"But you did." Gabriella barely realized she had spoken the words and saw his shoulders hunch slightly. Taking a deep breath, she turned and fled the kitchen and Troy. Her lips were still swollen from his as she took the stairs two at a time and slammed the door to her bedroom. As quickly as she could, Gabriella found her phone.

She didn't realize that she was crying until she heard Sharpay's voice. "Gabriella? Are you okay?" Sharpay sounded worried as Gabriella drew in a sharp breath.

"I-I kissed him Shar." She whispered and sank down onto her bed, dropping her head into her hand as she listened to Sharpay breathe.

"You did? I didn't think you'd be that quick." Sharpay sounded incredulous as she spoke and Gabriella wiped her cheek with the back of her hand, not knowing whether to laugh or cry more at Sharpay's statement.

"It just happened. He wanted to know why I hated him and then…" Gabriella trailed off as she thought about the way Troy had gone from being halfway to vulnerable to dark and seductive.

"And then what? You just kissed him?" Sharpay asked impatiently and Gabriella bit back a sob at the impatient tone of Sharpay's voice.

"No! I just…I said I didn't know what he was talking about and then when I told him I had no idea what he was talking about he knew I was considering regretting what I'd said," Gabriella took a breath and continued. "And then he confused me. Deliberately. He changed. He was so vulnerable and then he just…became so-so _hot_. It was insane and then he asked me why I didn't but did hate him and I kissed him." Gabriella said and knew a headache was coming on as she kneaded her forehead with the heel of her hand.

Sharpay was quiet after Gabriella finished and Gabriella wondered what her friend was thinking about.

"So…why are you crying?" Sharpay asked and it was Gabriella's turn to be silent.

"Because he said he didn't want to hurt me." She whispered and Sharpay let out an outraged noise that Gabriella didn't understand.

"How dare he say that to you?" She snarled and Gabriella smiled wobbly at Sharpay's protectiveness.

"I don't know how he could dare," she said softly and fell backwards onto the bed. "But I do know that I shouldn't have kissed him." Gabriella said and she heard Sharpay sigh.

"Why not?" Sharpay asked and Gabriella pulled her knees up to her chest as she stared at the wall.

"Because I felt something more than not being over him." Gabriella whispered and nearly giggled at Sharpay's sharp breath of disbelief.

"You're kidding me? How did you feel exactly?" She asked curiously and Gabriella closed her eyes, reliving the feel of his lips on hers again.

"Amazing. I forgot everything. It was indescribable." Gabriella said softly and Sharpay sighed.

"Okay. Well. Apparently you have some serious issues to deal with because you've done a complete three-sixty. Your opinion of his has changed drastically since this morning." Sharpay said matter-of-factly and Gabriella sighed.

"No. My feelings have changed not my opinion. How can I kiss him like that and feel something? How can he still make me forget everything? How can he say he didn't want to hurt me when he left?" Gabriella asked, feeling pain well up as she fought the memories that were always close to the surface now swell and push against the boundaries she had placed on them.

"Maybe there's more to the story than what we think?" Sharpay suggested tentatively and Gabriella snorted at her words.

"If there was more to the story, don't you think I would have figured it out by now?" Gabriella asked reproachfully, wanting nothing more than for Sharpay to agree with her.

"No. I don't think so. You were so hurt Gabi, you probably wouldn't have seen anything outside what had happened." Sharpay's tone was gentle though her words were firm and Gabriella felt her stomach clench at the truth in her words.

"Whatever. I kissed him, felt something and now I need to get out of LA." Gabriella muttered and winced at Sharpay's tut of disapproval.

"So that's it? You're going to run away? You're not going to stay and figure this all out?" Sharpay asked and Gabriella rolled onto her back. Running away right about now sounded like a damn good idea.

"I don't want too. Sharpay, hearing him say that after kissing him jut made it hurt that much more." Gabriella said quietly, squeezing her eyes shut tightly as she relived hearing him say the words.

She didn't understand why it hurt and she didn't want to know why his words had reopened barely closed wounds. She didn't want to face him again and she didn't want to confront the feelings she swore were four years old when she knew that the feelings were as fresh as they had been when she realized that she had had them.

"Its okay, Gabs. It's okay. But running away and then realizing that you'll regret it will only make the hurt worse." Gabriella wished that Sharpay didn't sound so wise because she knew that she was right. If Sharpay had sounded hesitant or unsure, Gabriella knew that if Sharpay had sounded any of that she would have been on the next plane out of LA.

"I know." She agreed and Sharpay breathed a sigh of relief that was barely audible. For a moment, Gabriella wondered why Sharpay was so intent of keeping her in LA when this was the second time she had threatened to leave and go back to Albuquerque.

"Good. I have to go, but I promise that I'll call Chad this afternoon and we'll all go out tonight. You sound like you need a drink." Sharpay said and Gabriella let out a strangled laugh as she realized that Sharpay was right. She did need a drink. Perhaps she needed two or perhaps she needed to get incredibly drunk to relieve herself of the feelings that were running rampant through her.

"Sounds good. I'll talk to you later then." Gabriella said and Sharpay murmured her confirmation before they hung up.

Throwing her phone down, Gabriella rolled back onto her side and closed her eyes. Wishing that the feel of Troy's kiss would go away and the feelings it had caused would stop screaming at her and fall silent. Just so she could relive the kiss without feeling anything more than some pleasure at the memory of the kiss.

* * *

A/N: Well, they kissed. Troy may not be a jerk after all and Gabriella's borderline hysterical and completely confused as to why this has all happened, not to mention some of Sharpay's advice is completely shoddy. Anyway, what happened is going to be revealed very, very soon. But that's all I can say! So, I hope you enjoyed and officially, as of now, DF and C&M are on hiatus! Sorry about that but its true!


	5. Not the Only One

Disclaimer: I do not own 'High School Musical' or any related characters.

A/N: Okay, well this was going to be up days ago but somebody on this site either hates my guts or is really just abiding by the rules because I got reported for two Zanessa stories I'd forgotten I'd even written and banned from uploading. Sad but true. Anyway, I'm sorry about the delay I know I said in the next couple of days but because of school, hockey and the ban it just didn't happen. I'm so sorry about the delay and bare in mind, what transpires is probably something you all have already figured out! I hope you enjoy!

* * *

_**Memories that Last for Moments**_

**Chapter Five: Not the Only One**

_We're more hurt than we appear  
The world will never know  
We both have tasted tears, my dear  
You're denying what I say  
Don't act like it's okay  
Cause it's not okay_  
_I will admit, if you admit it  
It's harder than we both thought  
It's easier to fall apart  
Look where we are (look where we are, look where we are)  
I can forgive it, I can't forget it  
You left me here with all these scars  
and you can't deny the hardest part  
I'm not in your arms_

_Flattery – Aly and AJ_

She was drunk. In fact, Sharpay was pretty sure Gabriella had gone passed drunk over two hours ago. Not that she was regretting suggesting the outing. Drunken Gabriella was always a fun person to be around and all the revelations that sprouted from her mouth while she was in her uninhibited state was enough to grant Sharpay, and anyone else who was listening, a colorful insight into what Sharpay was sure were her newly fucked up emotions. What she really wanted to hear about was the kiss and all the things that had come with it.

Including a very insightful description of exactly had gone through Gabriella's mind when Troy had been pressed up against her.

Sharpay knew that it was wrong of her to revel in what Gabriella told her while she was drunk, knew it was even worse that she wanted the dirty details of what Gabriella had thought but couldn't help but want to know. She'd seen the man shirtless and she knew that anyone with a six pack like that was either going to have an incredible sex drive or would be too busy preening at himself in the mirror to even think about sex. Because she knew Troy, she knew that the sex drive won hands down.

"How much has she had to drink?" Sharpay heaved a sigh as she tore her gaze from a melancholy Gabriella who was staring at her vodka and cranberry to Anna, who had managed to fight her way through the throng of people that occupied the space between the dance floor and their table.

"Enough." Sharpay snapped as Anna sat down next to Gabriella and gently touched her friend's shoulder, worried about the amount of alcohol she'd consumed. She'd never seen Gabriella drink this much and couldn't understand why Sharpay was simply sitting opposite her watching Gabriella with a shrewd look.

"Sharpay, she's been drinking since dinner. That was three hours ago." Anna said as she watched Gabriella continue to stare at the bright red liquid in her cup.

"She can handle her liquor. Now shut up and watch." Sharpay snapped, not feeling the slightest bit perturbed when Anna shot her a hard look. It wasn't that she didn't like Anna; it was the fact that Anna couldn't seem to see Gabriella as clearly as anyone else who knew her did and Sharpay was pretty sure that had a lot to do with Gabriella's stubbornness.

"What the fuck am I watching for?" Anna exclaimed and then shook Gabriella's arm roughly. "Gabs, you need a drink of water." Anna said and Sharpay watched in delight as Gabriella seemed to come alive at the suggestion.

"No! I no drunk," she said fiercely and Anna recoiled at the vicious look in Gabriella's eyes. "I mean, I'm n-not drunk!" She amended, slurring her words slightly as Anna nodded in sarcastic agreement.

"Gabs, you gotta have some water otherwise its all going to go to your head tomorrow." Anna said and Gabriella turned her eyes to Sharpay, who shrugged, knowing that while Gabriella had consumed more alcohol than either of them, she still knew her limit.

"Uh-uh. No way. You just don't want me to embarrass you around Troy." Hearing these words, Sharpay tried not to grin delightedly and settled in for the show. Anna blinked at her friend.

"I have no idea why you think that but it's not true." Anna said and Gabriella snorted loudly, looking at Sharpay who simply raised an eyebrow.

"Okay. It's not true. What _is_ true is that you have been making dreamy, high school crush eyes at him since we got here. I noticed when we stepped into the airport!" Gabriella said and Anna found herself surprised at how articulate Gabriella was being considering what she had been drinking in the last three hours.

Before she could speak up, Sharpay spoke.

"And what else did you notice when you stepped into the airport?" She asked and Gabriella switched targets, glaring at Sharpay as she took a sip of her drink, her hand unsteady.

"Troy fucking Bolton. That's what I noticed. He was here. All that time. He was here. In LA. Living with _your_ fucking brother," Gabriella pointed at Anna accusingly, "who _you're_ fucking mindlessly on any surface!" She turned her finger to Sharpay, who simply shrugged delicately as Anna stared at her best friend in shock.

"What the hell are you talking about Gabriella?" Anna asked and Gabriella rolled her eyes at Anna's demanding tone.

"I'm talking about the fact that he's been here. He's been here for four years and I didn't know," Gabriella's voice was rising as she looked between her two friends. "I didn't know that he was a plane ride away running the fucking company that is my dad's biggest client! I didn't know that he was your brother's best friend! I didn't know that I was walking into this huge trap when I walked into the kitchen three days ago!" Gabriella's voice was rising steadily and Anna sat still, trying to comprehend what was coming out of her friend's mouth as Sharpay studied Gabriella carefully.

"What else don't you know Gabriella?" She asked and Gabriella's anger faded as quickly as it had come, staring at Sharpay for such a long time that Sharpay wondered if Gabriella had heard her over the music.

"I still don't know why he left. I still don't know what I did wrong to make him leave. What did I do wrong, Shar?" Gabriella looked at Sharpay with tears in her eyes and Anna gaped at her as she became more and more confused. Sharpay sighed and knew that it was time to get out of there before Gabriella began sprouting out anything else. She knew that she would find out about the kiss later but if Gabriella continued, she'd be left with a sobbing friend and a completely mute Anna.

"I don't know. How about we go home?" Sharpay asked and Gabriella nodded slowly as a tear fell down her cheek. Before Sharpay could stop her, she downed the rest of the drink she'd been staring at and stood up unsteadily.

Sharpay tried not to laugh as Gabriella fell into Anna and Anna seemed to snap to attention.

"Whoa. What are you doing Gabriella?" Anna asked snappily and Gabriella stared down at her before turning her woeful eyes to Sharpay who rolled her own and stood up as well.

"We are leaving Anna. Gabriella's smashed, ready to cry and you're sitting there like a mute person, which is why we're going. So come one. I need to call Chad to get him to come and pick us up." Sharpay snapped and Anna reacted before she could think about what she was doing and somehow had managed to guide Gabriella through the crowd to the entrance of the club and out onto the street before she realized that she had listened to Sharpay.

Sharpay followed Gabriella and Anna out of the club, her phone pressed to her ear as she tried to get into touch with Chad. She watched as Gabriella unsteadily leaned against Anna, her eyes drooping as Anna kept her steady with an arm around her waist. For a moment, she tuned what Chad was saying out as she watched another tear fall down Gabriella's face.

"…there in ten minutes." Sharpay sighed in relief at Chad words and she snapped her phone shut after muttering a quick thank you to him.

"He'll be here in ten minutes." She said and Anna nodded as Sharpay reached out to stroke Gabriella's hair softly. Gabriella turned to face Sharpay when she felt her hand and Sharpay sighed when she saw the drowsiness and tears in her friend's eyes.

"Why does it hurt so much?" She asked and Sharpay gave her a sympathetic look. "Why did I even love him in the first place?" Gabriella asked pathetically, squeezing her eyes shut and Sharpay wished that she could answer Gabriella's question without hurting her even more.

"Who are you talking about?" Anna asked and Sharpay rolled her eyes at Anna's ignorance. Honestly, who did she think they were speaking about? Chad?

"Troy." Gabriella answered before Sharpay could. Anna stared at her friend in shock and confusion. Sharpay studied Anna carefully and felt glad that Gabriella was drunk enough that if Anna tried to take chunks out of her now, she wouldn't know it.

"Are you kidding me?" Anna said and Sharpay sighed as Gabriella shook her head, looking at Anna confusedly.

"Why would I be kidding?" She asked and Sharpay hoped that Chad got there soon as she noted how quickly Gabriella was fading. She glanced at Anna who was staring at Gabriella in shock and then down the road, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw Chad's Land Rover at the traffic lights.

"Anna, do this when she's going to remember the story. Chad's here." Sharpay snapped when Anna opened her mouth to ask more questions as the Land Rover pulled up to the curb. The engine shut off and Sharpay looked from Gabriella to the other side of the Land Rover and nearly collapsed from disbelief.

Out of all the stupid things Chad had ever done while she'd known him, sending Troy to pick Gabriella, Anna and her up while Gabriella was drunk and rambling about him, definitely took the prize for the dumbest thing he'd ever done.

"Fuck," she muttered and quickly intercepted Troy before he could even get around the hood of the car. "Get back in the car." She hissed at him and Troy stared at her as Sharpay pressed a hand to his chest and tried to propel him backwards.

"Why?" He asked, sounding confused and Sharpay sighed, glad that she hadn't been drinking and wishing for a drink at the same time.

"Because Gabriella's been drinking and I swear to God Troy, if she sees you, she's just going to collapse into a blubbering, depressed mess and I am not dealing with her and Anna like that at the moment." Sharpay snapped at him and Troy's eyes slid to Gabriella, who was clutching Anna's waist trying to stay awake. For a moment, Sharpay watched as his eyes softened slightly before he turned his attention back to Sharpay and nodded.

"Fine." He muttered tersely and Sharpay nodded at Anna, who managed to propel Gabriella towards the car.

"Will you be okay with her?" Sharpay asked as Anna opened the door and struggled to get Gabriella to let go of her waist and into the car.

"I think so." Anna grunted and Sharpay sighed, watching as Gabriella slowly slid into the car and Anna glanced at Sharpay, before following her.

Sharpay shut the door and opened up the passenger seat door. Climbing in, she glanced at Troy who was gripping the steering wheel tightly and staring straight ahead. Coughing slightly, Sharpay watched as Troy started the car and changed put it in drive. Glancing behind her, Sharpay caught sight of Gabriella's peaceful face and felt it was safe enough to speak to Troy.

"So…whose brilliant idea was it to send you to pick us up?" She asked, settling into the passenger seat and watching Troy.

"Chad's. Who else would think it would be brilliant to send me to pick up three females, two who were most likely hostile and one who was too busy ogling me, to realize what was happening with the two hostile ones?" Troy's voice was bitter and Sharpay sighed softly at his voice and wondered, not for the first time since she came back into contact with him, how much was going on just beneath the surface and how much of it made him suffer that little bit more now that Gabriella had reappeared in his life.

"Ha, ha. He's a funny one." She muttered and Troy shrugged as he stopped by a light. Sharpay watched as Troy glanced over his shoulder at Gabriella, before turning his attention to the road.

"How much has she had to drink?" He asked quietly and Sharpay couldn't help but strain to hear the faint note of concern in his voice.

"Plenty. She's been drinking since the start of dinner," Sharpay replied quietly and Troy glanced at her. "I wasn't going to stop her Troy." She answered his unasked question and Troy let out a breath.

"Jesus." Troy muttered and Sharpay wondered what he was going to say when he found out why she'd been drinking.

"If it's any help, I got her out of there before she passed out." Sharpay offered and Troy looked at her sharply.

"Yeah. Heaps." He said sarcastically and then let go of the wheel to run a hand through his hair. Sharpay watched him carefully. "Why was she drinking?" He asked and Sharpay snorted in disbelief.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me. Why do you think she was drinking Troy? Seriously, that's just a dumb question." She snapped and Troy glared at her, giving Sharpay the impression that he known the answer to that question the moment he'd seen her drunk.

"Sorry for asking." He muttered and Sharpay groaned at his petulant tone.

"Get over yourself Troy. You know, for someone who doesn't care about her, you seem to worry about her drinking habits more than I do." Sharpay snapped and Troy slammed his foot onto the brakes at her words, causing the car to lurch to a halt. Sharpay wanted to regret her words when Troy turned to her, his jaw tight in anger and his eyes dark.

"Don't you _dare_ presume that I don't care about Gabriella." His tone was lethal and Sharpay found herself wanting to cower slightly at it. Instead, she straightened her shoulders and glared at him menacingly.

"What else am I meant to think? For God's sake Troy, I know everything! Worse, I'm the one that picked up the pieces!" Sharpay fired back, both ignored Anna's delicate cough in the background as Troy's anger flared.

"You don't know everything Sharpay, because if you did you would have some inkling as to why I left instead of shooting her sympathetic smiles every time she brings it up!" Troy stated a cold hard fact that brought Sharpay up short. Instead of dwelling on it, Sharpay snorted loudly.

"Right and walking out on a two year relationship with absolutely no word of warning, no indication of where you were going or why can really be rationalized with a reason I'm pretty sure is a load of crap!" Sharpay yelled at him and Troy neither shrunk away from her accusation nor flinched, the only way Sharpay knew that what she had said had affected him was the slight twitch in his jaw.

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Troy's voice was dangerous and Sharpay wondered if she was going to regret getting into this argument with him. Before she could reply, Anna spoke up from the backseat.

"_What_ the _hell_ are you two arguing about?" Anna asked, interrupting the argument before it could escalate any further. Sharpay spoke before Troy could.

"Six years ago, Gabriella Montez and Troy Bolton met at a function, hit it off and ended up in a relationship. Four years ago, Troy Bolton walked out of said relationship without a reason, leaving a shattered Gabriella. Three days ago, Gabriella Montez got off a plane and Troy Bolton reentered her life without a warning. I think I covered all the high points, don't you?" Sharpay smiled sweetly at Troy as Anna let out a scandalized gasp and Gabriella moaned loudly besides her, alerting the sober occupants of the car to her presence and causing Troy's eyes to snap to her immediately.

Turning his eyes to Sharpay, he narrowed them lethally and had a final say in their argument.

"Like I said Evans, don't you _dare_ presume I don't care about Gabriella. Not until you get your facts right." Troy's voice was low, gravelly and menacing and Sharpay shivered despite herself. She knew that it wasn't a threat against her life and she knew that there had to be more to the story than what she had seen four years ago but what Gabriella had told her earlier was still weighing on her mind.

"Then don't tell one of my oldest friends that at the end of these couple of weeks, she's going to end up back in your bed. She doesn't need to be fucked over again Troy, especially not by you." Sharpay had barely realized that they were driving again when Troy slammed on the brakes and cut the engine. Before he got out of the car, he glanced at Sharpay and a shell-shocked Anna.

"If she doesn't need to be fucked over again, why'd she kiss me?" He asked rhetorically. Sharpay shook her head in disbelief at his question and couldn't answer when he simply slammed the door shut and headed into the house, leaving Sharpay wondering what the hell had happened four years ago that had driven Gabriella to drink and for Troy to lock everything away under the surface until now. Blowing out a breath, Sharpay could only assume one thing.

It was going to be one hell of a holiday now that both Troy and Gabriella were confronted with something neither of them wanted to deal with.

* * *

Troy carefully opened the door to Gabriella's room when he was sure that Sharpay and Anna were asleep. The argument in the car with Sharpay had brought up emotions that he wasn't sure he could handle. At least not with Sharpay hovering over him, assuming she knew everything that had gone down between him and Gabriella six years ago, especially assuming that he didn't care about Gabriella. Closing his eyes, Troy stepped into Gabriella's room, leaving the door slightly ajar.

He let out a breath when he caught sight of her sleeping form. He had a hard time believing she'd gotten drunk, he'd known her for so long and knew that she didn't like to drink especially at a club. At least, that's what he had thought the last time he had been out to dinner with her. But that had been four years ago. Four years had passed since he had last had any contact with her and now that she was sleeping in the room two doors down from him, Troy found himself lying awake in bed wondering exactly what his life would be like if he hadn't left her. He had a feeling that he wouldn't be sleeping in a bed alone nor would he have had to make a promise to have her back in his bed by the end of the three weeks.

Crouching down beside her, Troy reached out and pushed a curl that was obscuring her face back behind her ear. Gently, he ran his thumb over her cheek and wished that she would wake up and smile at him sleepily, raising her arm up to wrap around his neck in a gesture of welcoming, the way she had when he'd come home late from work and she'd be asleep in bed.

Sighing, Troy knew that it wasn't going to happen any time soon and brushed his thumb over her lips.

"I miss you." Troy said quietly. Leaning forward he brushed his lips against hers, wishing that it was four years ago and she would wake up and give him that sleepy smile and kiss him back.

But it wasn't four years ago and Troy knew that even if he wanted it to be Gabriella wasn't going to forgive him until she knew what had happened, until she knew that it wasn't her fault that he left.

* * *

Gabriella woke up and felt like she'd had the night of her life and was now left to deal with the aftermath. The aftermath that had a killer headache.

She was never going to drink again; Gabriella found herself thinking as she rolled onto her side and winced. Apparently, that movement had consequences. Just like she knew sitting up would have consequences. Just like she knew seeing Troy once again would have consequences. Pressing a hand to her eyes, Gabriella wondered why she had kissed him yesterday and then wondered who had let her drink as much as she had. Had Sharpay and Anna seriously had no thought to her health the next day when they had gone out yesterday?

Had _she_ had any thought to her health last night?

Gabriella knew that answer to that question. She hadn't thought about anything but her own confusion yesterday and apparently, she hadn't been paying attention to how much she had been drinking and Gabriella was pretty sure she had gone through enough vodka last night to last her months on end. What was worse was that the last time she had drunk that much had been four years go in an attempt to forget everything associated with Troy Bolton. A plan that not only hadn't worked but had left her sure that she had a permanent hangover. Testing herself, Gabriella raised herself on one elbow and opened her eyes to glance around the room, wincing slightly when she felt blinded by the sliver of sunlight, Gabriella didn't notice Anna sitting in the corner watching her until she spoke.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." Anna's tone was clipped and Gabriella turned her head to look at her, confused as to why Anna sounded so affronted. Muffling a groan, Gabriella slowly sat up, gingerly testing her body's reaction to full movement. When it only caused her head to throb slightly, Gabriella looked at Anna, who was sitting in the corner watching her best friend with an expression that she didn't recognize.

"Uh…thanks?" Gabriella said confusing, shifting more comfortably and look at Anna who seemed to be deliberating something.

"So…do you remember anything from last night?" Anna asked and Gabriella sent Anna a confused look, unsure what her implication was. "Like, say, attacking me for finding Troy attractive? Or asking Sharpay why he left? Or even announcing to the world that Sharpay is sleeping with my brother?" Anna asked and Gabriella's mouth dropped open in shock.

For a moment, all she could do was stare at Anna in shock and wonder exactly what had left her mouth the night before that could cause Anna to speak to her in such a hostile tone.

"Um…so what did you find out?" Gabriella asked sheepishly and Anna crossed her legs as she leaned back in the chair to examine Gabriella with dark eyes.

"What did I find out? Hmmm, let me see. I found out that yesterday you kissed Troy, I found out Sharpay is sleeping with Chad. Now what was the big thing? Damn it, what was it?" Anna asked, feigning ignorance before snapping her fingers. "I found out yesterday that my _best friend_ was in a relationship with Troy Bolton four years ago and never told me about it, not even when she got off the plane four days ago only to come face to face with him!" Anna refrained from raising her voice and Gabriella groaned loudly and in disbelief. What the hell had she done? Had she really been that drunk that she'd sprouted out the whole sordid story behind her and Troy?

"Oh my God. What did I say about me and Troy?" Gabriella asked her head falling into her hands as Anna raised her eyebrows.

"Nothing much. I got the story from Sharpay. While her and Troy were arguing in the car about you and him. It was quite interesting, actually, I mean I always wondered why you were so insistent about not going out on a date but I honestly never would have guessed that you didn't get involved with other guys because one left you four years ago without an explanation." Anna said nastily and Gabriella squeezed her eyes shut, wishing that what Anna was saying was it. That the story wasn't as complicated as Gabriella knew it was and she wished that it was that simple.

"Anna, I know I should have told you. I know that," Gabriella said quietly and Anna snorted loudly at Gabriella's admission.

"Yeah, that would have been nice. Instead of me finding out last night, with you passed out next to me." Anna agreed and Gabriella sighed, unsure how to proceed.

"I'm sorry. But you have to understand that it's hard to talk about it. Sharpay only knows some of it." Gabriella said quietly, hurt and four year old pain lacing her voice as she looked at Anna.

Before Anna could speak, a knock on the door sounded and it opened before Gabriella could shout a come in. Though she was thankful that she hadn't shouted. Gabriella turned her eyes away from Anna and her eyes widened when she saw Troy standing in the door way.

"Sorry. I just wanted to make sure you're awake." He said and Gabriella stared at him in shock as he stepped into the room.

"W-why?" Gabriella stuttered, forgetting momentarily that Anna was in the room watching the interaction with contempt as well as curiosity. Troy shrugged the question off, instead he offered a glass full of water and some aspirin.

"Chad and I have to meet a client today, will you two be okay on your own for a couple of hours?" Troy asked glancing at Anna to include her in the conversation. Gabriella looked at Anna too and then back at Troy.

"Yeah. We should be okay. Thanks for the aspirin." Gabriella said and Troy smiled at her gently, providing yet another contrast that left her confused and disorientated.

"Your welcome. Sharpay said-" Anna interrupted him before he could continue.

"Excuse me. I don't need to hear what she said. I'll just be going now." Anna exited the room so quickly even Troy looked bemused.

As soon as she was gone Gabriella went to fall back onto her bed when the bed shifted and she looked up in shock to find Troy sitting on the end of it. She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it when he raised a hand to stroke a curl behind her ear.

"We need to talk Gabriella." Troy said softly, his hand tracing her jaw line softly as he looked at her. Dumbfounded, Gabriella stared at him. He wanted to talk? Now? After an argument with Sharpay and Anna finding out about what had happened? After four years of silence, he wanted to talk?

Closing her eyes, Gabriella took in a deep breath as she shook his hand away from her face.

"Need to talk or just want to talk? There's a difference." She asked, feeling her head begin to pound as he sighed and let his hand fall away from her face.

"Gabriella, you and I both know that we need to talk." Troy said with a roll of his eyes and Gabriella couldn't help but feel like a five year old being condescended at his tone and impatience.

"Just because we need to talk doesn't mean we will." The hurt in her voice was enough for Troy's eyes to darken and his expression to harden.

"I know I hurt you Brie. But you and I both know that we need to talk." Troy said and Gabriella rolled her eyes at him, wanting to speak to him condescendingly the way he had spoken to her only moments before.

"Are we talking about me being back in your bed or what happened between us?" She asked spitefully and then wished that she hadn't said anything when Troy stood up abruptly. She looked up at him and wondered why he seemed so upset by what she had said.

"Don't think you're the only one who got hurt Gabriella. We will talk." Troy left the room so quickly that all Gabriella could do was wince at the sound of the door slamming. Leaving her wondering what the hell he had meant by saying she was not the only one who had been hurt.

* * *

A/N: And done! I hope you all enjoyed and I have to admit you're all probably more confused now than ever. Is it safe for me to presume that many more questions are swirling around in your mind and aren't going to go away until I update? Sorry, that sounded arrogant. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed!


	6. Aching for Soothing

Disclaimer: I do not own 'High School Musical' or any related characters.

A/N: I am really, really, really, really sorry! There's really nothing more I can say. I'm absolutely mortified that its taken me this long to update! You honestly have no idea, I feel so horrible and my excuse isn't that original either. School is taking over my life and I absolutely hate it. Normally when I'm finished homework I don't have the will to write I'm that tired, which is why I'm so happy to say that I have dropped like three subjects for my senior (yes, its incredible my senior year begins as HSM3 comes out!) But that doesn't mean updates are going to be regular either, I'm going to try my hardest because it's driving me crazy have an unfinished chapter sitting on my computer for any length of time! I really am so sorry that this is so late and I haven't even touched SFM for those who have been reading it and I know that it has been much, much too long and I wish that I wasn't becoming one of those authors whose updates are completely sporadic and are like water to parched reader but I'm going to try hard to rectify that. Again, I am so, so, so, so, so sorry that this is so late and I wish that any excuse I came up with was worth it but no matter how busy I am it doesn't seem right!

As for the story, more clues and no answers. I'm hoping to get you all incredibly frustrated with this story before I actually begin to spin the rest of the tale, I just hope I don't get caught in a web of my own spinning. Anyway, a word of warning, the memories start in this chapter. So I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

* * *

_**Memories that Last for Moments**_

**Chapter Six: Aching for Soothing  
**

_She says baby  
Its 3 am I must be lonely  
When she says baby  
Well I can't help but be _

_Scared of it all sometimes  
Says the rain's gonna wash away _

_I believe it_

_3 am – Matchbox Twenty_

She wasn't going to talk to him and, Troy thought as he contemplated the bright ad on the television, she wasn't going to until he forced her into a corner.

It had been nearly two days since he had spoken to her in her bedroom and since then, she'd done a damn fine job of avoiding him completely and Troy wasn't sure if he was pissed at her for avoiding him or relieved because he didn't want to drag out all the memories that had begun plaguing him since Chad had told him that she was coming and Sharpay had threatened to castrate him if he thought about going to anywhere near her. He didn't understand how Sharpay could honestly think that he could avoid Gabriella. Even _if_ he wanted too; they were staying with him and Chad. Her bedroom was two doors down from his. There was no way that they could avoid at least seeing each other.

Talking to her, as he'd discovered, was a totally different matter.

He'd forgotten how stubborn she was and he didn't know how. Despite what Sharpay had originally thought and what he knew Gabriella had thought she had figured out, he hadn't forgotten a thing about the beautiful girl he used to call his own. He hadn't forgotten that when she was nervous she folded her arms; he hadn't forgotten that when she was thinking she'd wrap a strand of hair around her finger, he hadn't forgotten that when she was sleeping she slept on her side with her hand cradling her head and he hadn't forgotten that when she was scared she used to wrap herself around him.

Damn it, he hadn't forgotten that she'd been in love with him and that he'd loved her just as much.

Which, in the first few months he had been in LA, had given him more than a few bad moments. Not because he had been wracked with guilt, no the guilt had taken months to come after he had left Albuquerque and her, what had given him the bad moments were the times he had woken up in the middle of the night and rolled over to reach for her only to discover that she wasn't there or the times, early in the morning, when he'd wake up and be so disorientated for a moment that he'd reach over to kiss her shoulder only to kiss air. But the worst part had been at times like this, at three am when he was sitting in the dark, drinking whatever was in the fridge, when he'd hear something and his heart would leap as he assumed that she'd woken up and come to find him because she'd rolled over and found that he wasn't there.

Then he'd remember that he was in LA and she was Albuquerque and that the noise was either Chad moving around or the house settling and his heart, the one that had leapt so hopefully earlier, would harden, falling a little bit further into the black hole that had opened when he'd left.

But then, when he had managed to settle from the hope, he would find himself wrapped in other memories of her. The ones that didn't take only a second to think about. The memories that lasted for moments. Before he could stop himself, or even lecture himself about the wisdom of what he was thinking Troy found himself sinking into the memory of their first meeting, so different from their reintroduction at the airport only a few days ago.

* * *

_The party, Troy found himself thinking was too similar to the ones his parents had forced him to attend when he was seventeen and much to absorbed in himself to actually appreciate anything that was at the party. At twenty-two, he wasn't self-absorbed and he still didn't appreciate the parties that he had to attend. This one was no exception. _

_It was being held in the elegant Bolton household and Troy found it comical that his childhood home had been transformed into an elegant Christmas party within a matter of hours and would be changed back once again the moment the guests left. However, no matter how much he longed for the simplicity of the childhood mansion he had dreamed of, Troy knew he couldn't escape this party until he had met everyone of his father's biggest clients as well as their new accountant. He'd gotten through nearly everyone and honestly could not wait until he had met the last person. _

_Taking a deep breath and draining the last of a beer poured into his mother's best crystal in an appalling attempt at hiding it from the guests that were sipping champagne, wine and scotch, Troy's eyes scanned the room for the last person he was meant to make small talk with. Absently setting the glass down on the table he was standing next to, Troy relaxed slightly when his eyes fell on his father, Jack Bolton, and Alexander Montez laughing only a few steps away from him. Running a hand through his hair, Troy tried not to shove his hands in the pockets of his suit and instead began taking slow steps towards his father. _

_Nodding to people as he kept a polite smile on his face, Troy worked his way towards his father, wondering why it was taking him longer than it normally would to get to his father. Ten minutes later, Troy found himself walking by his father. Only this time, he was heading for the stairway that led out of the party and to his room, while nursing a sore cheek. Trying to be inconspicuous as he rubbed it, Troy wished that he hadn't made the mistake of speaking to Mrs Willcox. She'd pinched his cheek and then told him he'd grown up into the handsomest boy she'd ever seen, while speaking to him like he was five. _

"_Troy! There you are! Where have you been?" Troy tried to keep his expression normal as his father hailed him over to where he was still speaking to Alexander Montez. He'd forgotten all about greeting the last person on his fathers list. _

"_Mrs Willcox." He muttered under his breath and Jack Bolton tried not to laugh at the pained expression on his sons face. _

"_Ah. Yes. She's been looking for you all night. Anyway, Troy this is Alexander Montez. He's our new accountant. Alex, this is my son Troy. He's going to take over when I retire." Jack introduced Troy to Alexander. Troy offered his hand to Alexander, a distinguished looking man in his late forties who had a fierce streak of silver through his jet black hair. Alexander offered him a warm smile. _

"_Hello Troy. I've heard a lot about you." Alexander said and Troy smiled at the words._

"_Probably all bad things. Dad's got a good habit of highlighting my bad qualities as opposed to my good ones." Troy said and Alexander laughed at the word as Troy grinned rather sheepishly. It wasn't exactly that funny._

"_You sound like my daughter." He said and Troy nearly winced. He didn't particularly want to hear about Alexander's daughter. He wanted to go upstairs to his old room and crash out. However, manners dictated that he at least talk for a little while longer. Silently, Troy cursed his mother and her lessons. _

"_Oh? Dad never mentioned that you had a daughter." Troy said it politely, wondering if his feigned interest was even going to pass the test when Alexander's eyes darkened slightly. Before he could reply, Troy watched as a hand touched the older mans elbow. _

"_Dad?" A soft, feminine voice spoke and Troy watched as Alexander's eyes lightened in what appeared to be happiness. _

"_Yes Gabriella?" Troy suddenly realized who had spoken and turned his attention to the girl that stood just behind the man that was in control of Bolton Enterprises finances and found himself struck dumb by what stood in front of him._

_Gabriella Montez was wearing a deep red dress that hugged soft curves and allowed her tanned skin to glow. Her hair was the same color as her fathers except it wound its way down her back in an array of sleek curls and Troy caught himself wondering what it would be like to touch the thick strands. His eyes slid from her hair to her face and Troy knew that it was a beautiful face. He knew she was a beautiful girl just from the sweep of her cheekbones, the fullness of her mouth and the delicately shaped nose. He knew that but could only see the dark depths of her ebony eyes._

_They were the most fascinating eyes he had ever seen. As cliché as it was her eyes, as she raised them to meet his, sparkled with an ease that made Troy wonder if they always did. But what fascinated him the most was the way her eyes widened slightly and emotion, one he took as shock, flashed through her eyes giving him a feeling that to know her well, would be too look in her eyes. _

"_Troy, this is my daughter Gabriella. Gabriella, this is Jack's son Troy." Alexander's voice snapped Troy out of his thorough examination of Gabriella Montez's eyes. Without a hint of the curiosity that had passed through him, Troy offered Gabriella his hand and a pleasant smile. _

"_Nice to meet you." He said as she took it. Her eyes flicked to his hand and Troy watched as deliberation flashed through them before she hesitantly took his hand. _

"_You too." She replied softly, abruptly dropping his hand and blushing when he simply raised an eyebrow at her abruptness._

* * *

The unmistakable sound of someone walking down the stairs caused Troy to jerk out of his memory. Holding his breath, Troy waited for the sounds of Chad shuffling into the kitchen and blew it out when he heard the person turning into the living room, obviously attracted by the television.

"Dude, its three am." Chad's loud voice was unusually quiet and caused Troy's shoulders to relax slightly.

"I know. What are you doing up anyway?" Troy asked, half turning to watch as Chad ambled into the room, scratching his bare chest as he sat down on the other end of the couch.

"I've finally gotten what you meant about getting used to sleeping beside someone," Chad said absently and Troy stiffened. There was something calculated about Chad's tone. Something that made him wary of what his best friend was going to say.

"Huh. I didn't realize that you and Shar actually _slept_." Troy quipped and Chad shot him a lazy, satisfied grin that made Troy wonder exactly how serious the relationship between Chad and Sharpay actually was.

"Yeah well. I didn't realize that Gabriella being here was going to fuck you up so much." Chad replied and Troy's eyes suddenly narrowed as Chad glanced at the screen, unconcerned about Troy's reaction to his comment.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Troy tried to control his voice to a calm, indifferent tone and knew that he had failed when Chad merely raised his eyebrows.

"Are you kidding me? You haven't been this on edge since we moved out to LA. You also haven't stayed up and watched television like this since we moved out here. You've been up until past three am every night since she got here Troy." Chad's words were measured and held a truth he knew Troy wouldn't be able to combat.

Chad wasn't stupid. He'd been watching his best friend since the moment Gabriella had stepped through the gate and knew that Troy was much more affected by her presence than he was letting on. He had purposefully watched Troy when he'd seen Gabriella again and knew that the flicker in Troy's eyes had so much more to do with his own unresolved feelings than just seeing her again. He knew, too, that when he wasn't busy enough, Troy would begin to dwell on the 'what ifs'. On the future that he would have had if he hadn't left four years ago. It was becoming more and more obvious that _that_ particular future was beginning to haunt Troy.

"It's not easy Chad." Troy said quietly, wondering if the words sounded stupid or not. Chad snorted and Troy sighed.

"Who said it was going to be? Troy, you wanted her out here and you got her out here." Chad pointed out, knowing that he wasn't helping but unable to take off the edge to his voice. He'd known when Troy had not so innocently suggested he invite Anna and a friend out that Troy was asking for a disaster. He'd just been unable to talk Troy out of the suggestion.

"I don't regret her being out here Chad," Troy snapped at him. "I've waited for four years to see her again. Do you honestly think that I would have suggested the visit if I knew I was going to regret it?" The question stumped Chad. He'd known that Troy had had some ulterior motive to the suggestion but when he'd seen the way Troy had reacted to Gabriella at the airport, he'd already begun to regret the invitation. He hadn't thought Troy had already figured this out so well.

"Alright then, what's not easy?" Chad asked and Troy blew out a breath and took a swing from the coke bottle.

"Telling her. I want her to know Chad. I want her to know what happened. But…every time I'm with her, I forget that I want her to know." Troy said it quietly, unsure how he was meant to explain how hard it was for him to look at her and tell her why he'd left.

"What makes you forget though? Cause you're usually pretty good when it comes too breaking someone's heart by telling them the truth." Chad asked, watching with a disturbed fascination as a woman stabbed someone on the television screen.

Troy was silent for a moment, staring at the dark wall as he thought about it. Troy wanted to resent Chad's comment about breaking someone's heart but knew that he spoke the truth. Especially when in reference to Gabriella.

"The look in her eyes. That's what makes me forget." The words were so quiet Chad thought for a moment that Troy was talking to himself. Glancing at Troy, Chad studied his friend and couldn't help but feel guilty when he saw something that he hadn't thought about. Beneath the confused, unhappy person who hid behind an amused, confident façade, lay a hurt that Chad suddenly realized ran deeper than he had originally thought.

Silence encased them as Chad tried to think of something constructive to say that wouldn't result in driving Troy to drink. It was harder than he thought. There was too much he didn't understand. There were things that Troy hadn't mentioned when he was sober and wouldn't elaborate on when he was drunk that had even Chad wondering if anyone but Troy knew the full story behind what had happened to make Troy leave Albuquerque and Gabriella. It was, he thought, more than Sharpay assumed and less than what anyone expected.

Troy, who wasn't sure what to make of Chad's silence, chose to concentrate on the television but he couldn't lose himself in the bright colors of the plasma television. Taking a sip from his coke bottle, Troy wondered vaguely what he was watching as he watched someone resembling Adolph Hitler laugh.

"Troy?" Gabriella's sleepy voice broke through the silence like a whip. Troy nearly dropped the bottle of coke he was holding while Chad straightened like an arrow. Whipping his head around so fast he winced as his neck muscles protested, Troy stared at Gabriella, who was standing in the doorway of the living room.

"G-Gabriella?" Troy stuttered, placing the bottle down and standing up slowly as he studied the woman that had been avoiding him for the past two days. The fact that she was speaking to him made him suspicious.

"You're not in bed." As he moved closer, trying not to let her words effect him, Troy took note of the glassy eyes and the way she was swaying slightly. She was fast asleep. He didn't know whether or not he was grateful that she'd only come to find him instead of trying to leave the house while she was sleepwalking.

"I know." He said the words carefully as he stopped in front of her, wondering how she would react if he reached out to touch her and refraining from doing so, afraid that she was going to wake up.

"You were there when I went to sleep." Her voice sounded like a lost child's and Troy suddenly found that he couldn't help himself, he didn't care that she probably wasn't going to remember any of it. Carefully he touched her wrist and his hand swept up over her arm to her shoulder.

"Okay. I'm coming to bed now, baby." He spoke reassuringly and watched as she relaxed greatly at his words. He wasn't sure where this nighttime adventure had come from but he forgot to care when she nodded, her eyes closed and her body crumbled against him.

Troy caught her out of instinct rather than necessity and wasn't surprised when he looked down to find her breathing fitfully against his shoulder. Sighing, he brought her arms up around his neck and bent to pick her legs up.

"Dude, what the hell was that?" Chad's shocked voice broke through Troy's concentration on Gabriella's breath on his neck and he sighed.

"She sleepwalks." Troy stated plainly, turning to look at Chad who simply raised an eyebrow at his words.

"No! I didn't figure that one out by myself!" Chad said sarcastically. "I meant, what the hell was up with her asking you why you weren't in bed?" He said and Troy moved his shoulders slightly.

"I guess she was having a dream about us. When we were living together and I used to stay up late, she used to get nervous and would come and find me." Troy said, a note of finality entering his voice. Chad didn't reply, instead, he watched as Troy shifted Gabriella higher and carried her out of the living room.

As he walked slowly up the stairs, Troy tried not to think about the fact that this was the first time he'd been this close to her without her protesting first. Instead, he slipped through the door she'd left open when she'd gotten up and headed over to her bed, knowing that she would wake as soon as she hit the bed Troy prepared himself for an onslaught as he lowered her gently to the bed and watched as her breathing suddenly hitched and her eyes fluttered. He watched as her eyes lazily opened, then closed but wasn't prepared for the way she shot up.

It was an instinct; buried deep enough for it to struggle as it surface that had Troy gathering her close when a strangled whimper left her mouth that made him wonder whether she still asleep and hadn't woken when she had hit the bed.

"Hey, hey, its okay. You're back in bed." He murmured and his suspicions were confirmed when her arms wrapped tightly around him and she buried her face in his shoulder.

"Don't leave." She murmured against his shoulder as Troy tried to rearrange himself so he was sitting on the bed and she still maintained her grip on him.

"I'm not leaving. I promise." Troy murmured to her, stroking her hair gently and praying that she didn't wake up suddenly.

Gabriella shifted closer to him, her arms tightening around him as if she was afraid that his words weren't true and Troy, found himself thinking with a pang, even in her sleep, she had every right to think that nothing he promised was true.

"Okay," he felt her nod and, losing himself in what was happening, turned his head to kiss her hair. He froze when she shifted, suddenly afraid that she had woken up and not willing to release her just yet.

The ache that he had fought for four years was slowly beginning to be soothed as he held her.

Hearing her breathing even out again, Troy swallowed and then closed his eyes. Carefully, he loosened her arms and lowered her towards the bed, suddenly wishing that he hadn't responded to her when she had come downstairs, lost in a dream of what they had been, suddenly wishing that he hadn't let himself become caught up in the fantasy as well. When he was sure that she was comfortable, Troy sat up, knowing that he should leave before she woke up. If she woke up and he was still there, sitting on her bed, she would assume the worst or she wouldn't assume anything at all and that would leave him feeling all the more the fool.

"I wish you'd let me explain." He murmured, lifting a hand to brush a curl from across her face and not expecting her breathing to hitch and her eyes to shoot open.

Troy froze as he watched her eyes focus on him and her lips curve slightly, her hand that had rested across her chest lifting to his jaw. He held his breath and watched as her eyes suddenly widened and he knew that it had clicked with her what she was doing.

"W-why are you here?" The words were whispered and confused, her voice possessing a husky timbre that was unintentionally seductive. Troy took a deep breath and slowly eased himself away from her before he answered. Giving her the space he was sure she needed to wake up properly.

"Because you were sleepwalking." He watched as what he said sunk in and was surprised when she blushed and made a strangled, barely audible sound of mortification.

"Oh my God, please tell me I wasn't." She gasped, sitting up and moving away from him so her back rested against the backboard as she stared at him, her mouth covered by her hand. Troy watched her, knowing that she was aware of her habits. Studying her carefully, Troy suddenly realized that she could remember what she had been dreaming about and she wasn't sure if she should be embarrassed or defensive about it.

"You were. Dreaming again?" He asked nonchalantly, reminding her that he had firsthand experience with her sleepwalking and talking. Her blush deepened, if it was possible, and Troy wondered if she was going to become defensive. Instead, he watched as she drew her knees to her chest and leaned her chin on the top of them.

"Yes." She muttered, looking away from him. Troy let out a breath, watching her, wondering what he should say next.

Silence fell over them as he watched her watch the wavering sliver of moonlight that rested on the bulk of the bed. Just watching her, Troy couldn't help but think about the memory that he had lost himself in only minutes before. Almost without thinking, he spoke.

"I was thinking about you too." He admitted quietly and met her gaze steadily when it flicked back to his in shock.

"Y-you were?" Troy didn't know whether or not to be annoyed by the bewildered shock in her voice. He was sure that his actions in the past few days that she had been in LA would have assured her that she was never far from his thoughts; apparently the message hadn't gotten through.

"I was thinking about the time we first met," her eyes widened at his words and Troy knew that she hadn't expected him to be thinking about something like that. "I remember how you looked that night. I don't think I'm ever going to forget that dress. You were gorgeous that night. Everything about you was perfect. Everything." He couldn't help himself, even though he knew she would probably reject him, he still reached out to touch her. Just to touch. He hadn't expected her to lean into his touch, her eyes never wavering from his.

"I wasn't perfect. I was sixteen." She whispered, tilting her head into his hand as his thumb stroked over her lips. Troy didn't realize that she had shifted closer to him or that he was leaning towards her as he replied.

"No. You were perfect and you were already mine." He felt her shudder as the words past over her lips and their eyes held, hers filled with a naïve wonderment that he'd thought he'd never see again and his held a predatory glint that was nearly obscured by the darkened emotion which, to an onlooker, would hold the title love.

The tension between them was palpable. So fragile it could be broken by either their lips meeting or the dropping of his hand and the distancing of their bodies.

"Perfect." Troy breathed again. He felt her breathing hitch and suddenly couldn't stop himself.

It was rash, stupid and probably the one thing he could do that would make her resent him even more but as his lips caught hers, Troy found that he couldn't care less. Because that ache of loneliness, the one that had taunted him for four years was soothed as he felt her lips part and her arms lift to wrap around him.

It was three am and, for the first time in a long time, he didn't feel desolate, lonely or unhappy. He felt…complete.

* * *

A/N: I hope that wasn't too terrible for a comback chapter! Before you ask about Gabriella's sudden change of heart, it will be explained in the next chapter that I can promise, also a few more things to do with their relationship will come to light as well and I can promise from here on that the memories are going to be coming thick and fast now that this one has been used! I really do hope you all enjoyed it and I hope that none of you are particularly mad that I haven't updated in forever! I am really sorry about that!


	7. So Much More

Disclaimer: I do not own 'High School Musical' or any related characters.

A/N: Just for a quick review, Gabriella's twenty-two in this story and Troy's twenty-eight. There's a six year age difference between them. Also, there's a little delving into Chad and Sharpay's relationship in this chapter and it may or may not be a turning point for our two main characters. Just don't get excited, I know a lot of you got a little…enthused when you read that they'd kissed last chapter and I'm warning you right now, there's still a long way to go before the story ends, which means that there's still a lot more to the characters and their relationships. So please, enjoy this chapter!

* * *

_**Memories that Last for Moments**_

**Chapter Seven: So Much More  
**

_Wish I had concentrated,  
They said love was complicated,  
But it's something i just fell into,_

And it was over-rated  
But just look what i've created  
I came out alive but i'm black and blue-ue

_I Heart ? - Taylor Swift_

Chad folded his arms and stared across the counter at his girlfriend, who had gone an interesting shade of red when he informed her of what had happened last night between Troy and Gabriella. If he didn't know any better, Chad would have assumed Sharpay was furious. Fortunately, he knew better.

Sharpay Evans in complete shock was something that was a rare sight and instead of commenting on it, Chad chose to treasure the moment.

"Troy did _what_?" And just like that, Chad thought wryly, the moment was ruined. Now, she was angry and because he knew better, Chad chose not to acknowledge her tone or the potential for disaster if she was provoked. Instead he spoke calmly, not really wanting to become messenger boy between Sharpay and Troy but sensing that it may be inevitable.

"Gabriella was sleepwalking last night and came looking for Troy. Who took her back up to her room when she asked why he wasn't in bed." Chad said patiently, knowing that it wasn't what Sharpay was asking about. He watched as Sharpay waved her hand impatiently, as if hurrying along the words that had been spoken.

"Yeah. I got that part. Now tell me about the other part." She commanded and Chad's eyebrows rose as he was suddenly reminded of the brash, demanding nineteen year old who'd managed to capture his attention and, later, his heart after an accidental meeting where coffee had been spilt and her shirt had become see through.

"And here I thought you were getting better with the demands, guess not." Sharpay narrowed her eyes at the man that she'd been seeing for three years and couldn't decide whether or not she wanted to strangle him or kiss him for telling her the truth when she'd asked why Troy had seemed so hurried to get out of the house as she'd walked in.

"Don't you dare do that to me Chad Danforth! I want to know the rest. As in, what you and Troy were discussing when I walked into this kitchen this morning!" Again with the demanding, Chad thought. Studying the blonde carefully, Chad suddenly realized how worried she was about Gabriella and how the brunette was dealing with Troy.

"Come here," he opened his arms and, after a moments hesitation that irritated him, Sharpay stepped into his embrace, wrapping her own arms around his middle. "What Troy and I were talking about when you got here was the fact that last night, Gabriella woke up when Troy put her back to bed." He said quietly in her ear and Sharpay, who was known for being strong, snuggled closer to the man that was holding her, knowing that, somehow, he would make her feel okay and make the situation better.

"Okay. What else?" She asked as his hand rubbed up and down her back. Chad planted a kiss on the side of her head before he spoke.

"He was getting to that part when you walked in. From what he told me, he spent some time with her that he didn't know how to handle this morning. I'm guessing Gabriella's going to feel the same way when she gets out here." Sharpay found that she didn't even have the energy to get mad at him for not knowing anything but that. She knew that she would get the story from Gabriella when she woke up. Instead, she snuggled deeper into Chad's firm chest and closed her eyes, enjoying the quiet and the warm arms wrapped around her. Reassuring her that he did care, he did love her.

"I was thinking," Chad's soft rumble broke through the quiet and for a moment Sharpay resented him for breaking the quiet and then became curious.

"About?" She prompted when she realized that he wasn't going to continue talking. Chad took a deep breath and Sharpay couldn't help but wonder what, exactly, was going to come out of his mouth.

"Well, I was thinking that you could bring Gabriella and Anna over to the office and we could all go out to lunch." Chad said it gently and Sharpay tensed slightly, suddenly knowing that Chad had hesitated because of what he was going to suggest.

"You, me, Gabriella, Anna and…Troy?" She asked suspiciously, pulling away from Chad enough to look into his face in disbelief. "Like _that's_ not a recipe for disaster!" She exclaimed when she saw that he was serious.

"Sharpay, you and I both know that whatever's going on between Troy and Gabriella probably won't affect us sitting at a table for an hour." He pointed out, and Sharpay couldn't help but huff slightly as she realized that he was right. She hadn't seen Troy and Gabriella together yet, but from what Chad had told her, neither of them acted out when pushed together. But that wasn't her only worry.

"Okay. But that's not who I'm talking about. Chad, your sister _hates_ me! And I'm not too fond of her either." Sharpay said, trying not to whine and not sure what to make of the look on Chad's face.

Chad looked down at his girlfriends half defiant face and knew that he should have foreseen the problem between her and Anna. They were headstrong, stubborn and independent and as much as he'd hoped that they would get along he'd had a bad feeling from the beginning that they weren't going to hit it off. Especially now that Gabriella and Troy's problems had resurfaced, causing a violent surge of tension between the two.

"I know. But I need you to at least be civil towards her, babe; she's not going to be too happy when she finds out you're going to become part of the family." Chad said and Sharpay took in a deep breath as her eyes slipped to her ring-less hand. She hadn't said yes, yet, and he already knew her answer. She wasn't sure whether it delighted her or annoyed her that he already knew.

"I haven't said yes, yet." The smirk that tugged at Chad's lips was enough to make Sharpay want to slap him, as his eyes told her that she'd already said yes in a thousand different ways.

Before Sharpay could comment on the smirk, Chad leaned down and caught her in a leisurely kiss. One that left no room for the argument Sharpay vaguely remembered she wanted to start. Instead she pressed herself against him and gave into his kiss, not realizing that her brunette friend was standing in the kitchen doorway, watching them with a wistful smile and dark espresso eyes.

She hadn't woken up alone. It had been the first time in four years that she had woken up curled up against a warm, solid body and feeling safe, secure, _loved_. It had been the first time she'd rolled over and there had been something to cuddle into, something that responded. He had too, Gabriella closed her eyes suddenly as she remembered, he'd wrapped his arm tighter around her and sleepily placed a kiss on the top of her head.

It was that kiss that shook her. She could push away the memories of the way he had made her feel as his lips had traveled over hers, down her neck, his hands arousing her the way he had when she was seventeen and unable to refuse him. She could repress them; make them go away until she figured out why she had let him. Why she had let him…just let him. But she couldn't make the memory of the morning, of not waking up alone, of that kiss, go away. She couldn't force that into a corner and lock it away, because it was too sweet, too wonderful and much, _much_ to close to filling the hole he had left behind. The hole that she didn't want him to fill because…Gabriella shook her head, her eyes snapping open as she blocked the road the thought wanted to go down.

Instead, with an enormous amount of strength that she knew would tire her, Gabriella pushed away the thoughts and instead focused on the two people in front of her. God, she couldn't help but feel jealous of Sharpay. She _wanted_ that! She wanted someone to hold onto just because she could. But she didn't want that with just anyone, she wanted that with someone who loved her as much as…Gabriella stubbornly pushed away the voice that whispered Troy and promised herself that she wouldn't think about him at all for the rest of the day. Then she remembered that he'd asked her to have lunch with him. Alone.

Oh God, she didn't even _want _to know why her pulse was fluttering at the thought of being alone with him again.

"Gabi, I didn't see you there!" Gabriella jumped at Sharpay's sheepish words. Blinking rapidly as she tried to push away her thoughts of Troy, Gabriella looked at Sharpay and couldn't help the small smirk that tugged at her lips. Sharpay looked flushed, happy and very much in love. Something that Gabriella was sure was never going to happen in her lifetime at least.

"Of course you didn't. You were otherwise occupied." Gabriella pointed out smugly and the flush on Sharpay's face darkened slightly and Gabriella couldn't help but wonder if the 'Great Sharpay Evans' was actually _blushing_.

"Aww, are you blushing, babe?" Gabriella's smirk turned into a grin as Chad beat her to the punch and Sharpay's color darkened further. Glancing at Chad, Gabriella was surprised to realize that his hair was tied back and he was in black dress pants and a crisp white shirt. She vaguely remembered Troy mentioning a meeting between mergers today. Right after he'd asked her to lunch. Stay _away_ from there, Gabriella, she told herself firmly.

"Big meeting today, Chad?" Gabriella asked instead, abandoning torturing Sharpay in case the blonde exacted some of her infamous revenge plans on her. Chad looked at her, questions in his eyes that told Gabriella that Troy had told him what had happened last night, before shrugging.

"Nah. Not really. Troy knows that we've got the company, he just wants me there so that we can put up a 'united front'." Gabriella couldn't help but laugh at his phrase and could tell that Chad wasn't exactly pleased to be going into the offices. From what she had gathered from Anna, who was still only half-talking to her, Troy sat in an office all day and Chad did most of the field work.

"Anyway," Sharpay announced loudly. "Sleep well Gabs?" She asked and Gabriella knew she wasn't imagining the double meaning in Sharpay's words. Trying not to flush red, Gabriella shrugged nonchalantly.

"If by sleep you mean hot sex. Then yeah, I slept heaps well." The sarcasm was drowned out by wistfulness as Gabriella remembered the hot kisses that Troy had placed down her stomach, stopping just before he hit her core. That's when he'd stopped it. He'd moved back up to her mouth, catching her in a kiss that soothed her moan of protest and made her beg him to stay with her.

"You guys fucked?" Sharpay's incredulity shot straight through Gabriella's haze of remembrance and she suddenly realized that the blonde hadn't picked up on any sarcasm in her voice.

"No! No. _No_." Gabriella shook her head violently, suddenly feeling embarrassed as she realized that Chad was studying with a curious look in his dark brown eyes.

"Rea-" Sharpay was cut off by a snort that came from behind Gabriella.

"Blondie, when she says no, she obviously means no." Anna stalked into the kitchen, her mood, Gabriella could decipher, wasn't too pleasant and probably brought on by the blonde who was still cuddled securely against her brothers chest.

"Good morning to you to Annabel." The warning in Chad's voice was enough to send chills down Gabriella's spine and she suddenly realized that there was much more to Chad and Sharpay's relationship than she'd originally thought. There was something there that gave Gabriella the impression that Chad wasn't going to tolerate Anna being insolent towards Sharpay and if push came to shove, Chad was going to side with the blonde.

Anna huffed dramatically before replying. "Good morning Chad, Sharpay. Hey Gabs." Gabriella blinked slightly at the warm greeting and then smiled tentatively at her friend.

"Morning An. Sleep well?" She asked and Anna shrugged, grabbing a mug from the cupboard and beginning to search for the coffee hidden somewhere in the shelves of the pantry.

"Yeah. There were no loud noises." She said, shooting a nasty glance at Sharpay that made Gabriella's stomach sink slightly as Chad's expression went from gentle to stony in a matter of seconds.

"Really? Maybe you should proposition Troy again, and then _you_ can make all the loud noises." Chad snapped back and Anna flushed red. Gabriella winced at the thought of Anna and Troy together. Before Anna could snap back, Sharpay spoke up.

"Don't you need to get into the office?" She looked up imploringly at her boyfriend and Chad sighed, glancing at the clock before nodding. He shot Anna another warning look before kissing Sharpay again.

"Don't forget about lunch. One o'clock. Meet me at the office." He said, just loud enough for Gabriella and Anna to hear. Anna rolled her eyes and Gabriella's heart jumped into her throat. There was no doubt that Chad meant for all of them to come and that meant that Troy would be there.

"I won't. We'll go shopping first." Sharpay kissed him again and Gabriella looked away, suddenly feeling like she was intruding on some private morning routine that she had no part of. There was something about the way they were doing this that gave her the goosebumps. Something about it that was familiar.

"Love you." Gabriella's breath caught in her chest as she suddenly realized what it was. Their morning ritual was so similar, so close, to hers and Troy's morning ritual that it was scary. Except maybe they'd be up against a car in the East High parking lot or outside his building in Albuquerque, not in the kitchen.

"Love you too. I'll see you at the office." Chad slowly untangled himself from Sharpay and then grinned across at Gabriella. "See you there too Gabs. Anna." The sudden coldness of his voice perturbed Gabriella slightly; Anna, on the other hand, just glared at her brother before sipping her newly made coffee.

"Right! Shopping, you guys in?" Sharpay announced when they heard Chad's car start. Gabriella smiled at Sharpay as Anna took another sip, giving Gabriella the impression that she was ignoring Sharpay.

"Sure. Shopping then lunch with Chad, right?" Gabriella asked tentatively, not sure if she really wanted the answer when Sharpay's face turned innocent, giving Gabriella the impression that Chad had already made it clear who would be in attendance of the lunch.

"Sure. Lunch with Chad. You in Anna?" Sharpay abruptly turning her attention to Chad's sister, who shrugged, apparently contemplating the pros and cons of being alone in the house against going shopping with Gabriella and Sharpay.

Gabriella glanced between Anna and Sharpay and suddenly had a bad feeling about going shopping with the two of them when Anna slowly nodded her assent. It had nothing to do with the fact that Anna didn't like Sharpay or that they probably were going to argue about Chad and who knew him better. But one of them, at any particular time, would bring up and Troy and honestly, Gabriella was pretty sure she couldn't hear his name without blurting out that she spent last night with his mouth on hers and that everything she had been feeling for him in the past week had changed the moment she had woken up last night and discovered him only inches from her, his fingers tracing her cheek. Her world beginning to spin from the first gentle touch of his mouth.

Gabriella sat in the back of Sharpay's Lexus and couldn't help but look back and forth in astonishment at the two people who sat in the front seats. One gripping the steering wheel so tightly Gabriella was afraid that it would leave an indent and the other sulking like a spoiled child. She honestly couldn't believe that she had just spent four hours trailing behind them and watching them argue about absolutely _nothing_. It was incomprehensible and yet, Gabriella found that it was entirely believable. Anna resented Sharpay for reasons that Gabriella suspected she didn't even know and Sharpay resented Anna because Anna resented her. Not to mention the whole issue of Chad siding with Sharpay that morning had only been touched on in the grand scale of arguments that had erupted that morning.

Gabriella was just grateful that both of them had been too intent on winning an argument that they didn't notice how distant she was from them and everything else.

She couldn't get Troy out of her mind. But it wasn't just what had happened the night before. She wasn't just thinking about the hot kisses and the excitement his touch had brought or the way she had woken up snuggled next to him that morning. She was remembering little things, like how when he was nervous he wouldn't sit still, how when he came home late without warning he'd have a bouquet of frangipanis for her or when she was upset about something he wouldn't let her go until he was sure that she was okay.

Gabriella couldn't help but smile at the thought. She could still remember so many occasions when she'd been on the edge of breaking and he would be there, silently holding out his arms in an invitation she could never refuse. Even when they'd been fighting, he had never refused her when she was crying and needed him.

God, she had always needed him in some way or another and Gabriella knew that her need for him didn't just apply when they had been together.

She'd needed him at so many different times after he'd left. At first, it had always been when she was sitting in their kitchen trying to do her work and she would hear someone in the hallway, greeting whoever else was out there and she would just assume that it was Troy coming home from work. Maybe he'd be carrying some take-away and a movie so they could curl up on the lounge together to eat and watch. Every night at seven it happened and every night at seven after he'd left her, their apartment would be pregnant with an expectant silence that was never fulfilled. She'd needed him then, especially when the silence had become too much for her to handle. She could remember crying and vowing that she didn't care why he had left as long as he walked back through their door and wrapped her up in a hug that promised he would never let her go.

As the years had worn on though, it she had learnt to hide the fact that she needed him from the people that knew her the best. Her mother, her father, Marla, even the friends that had known at him until, eventually, she had managed to hide the fact that she needed him from herself.

But this morning had reminded her of that need. It scared her to realize that just having him there, snuggling into him the way she always had, had evoked that need she'd had when she was younger. The need to tell him everything. What terrified her even more was that there were so many things a part of her wanted to tell him. She wanted to tell him that she'd graduated, that she had her journalistic degree and could get a job. She wanted to tell him of all the things she had gone through after he left how she had nearly lost complete touch with her parents and then found herself much closer to her stepmother.

She wanted to tell him that there had been nobody else since he had left her and that she didn't know if that made her scared of a relationship or that some part of her had hoped he would come back into her life.

"Gabriella! Are you coming?" Sharpay's sharp voice broke her out of her thoughts and Gabriella jerked, before nodding, not willing to say anything in case Sharpay decided to jump down her throat as well.

Quickly, Gabriella slid out of the back seat, shouldering her bag and gazing at the modern building she knew was the Los Angeles offices of Bolton Enterprises. Biting her lip, Gabriella meekly followed Sharpay as she led the way into the building, nodding at the sleek blonde secretary in the marble lobby before she stepped into the elevator and waited impatiently for the other two. Gabriella stepped into the elevator and tried to avoid looking in any of the mirrors that surrounded them as Sharpay pressed the button for the top floor, muttering something under breath about 'insolent, stupid brunettes who just _had_ to be related to her boyfriend.'

As the elevator climbed, Gabriella's stomach started jumping around as she suddenly realized she had to see Troy again. How the hell was she meant to do that? She was coherent now; she was able to decipher what she was feeling now. She couldn't see him again and be alone with him. That would be bad. She might do something like kiss him or tell him how much she'd missed him in the past four years.

Gabriella paled at the thought. Suddenly too aware of how much had changed since he had left her bed that morning. It was too much, too soon. How could she suddenly want to tell him how she had missed him when only two days ago she hadn't wanted anything to do with him? How could she willingly pull him to her bed last night when she had sworn to herself she was never going to let him get that close to her again? How could she feel so much for him after four years of saying she felt nothing?

"Gabriella? Are you going to get off the elevator or just ride it between floors?" Anna was looking at her strangely and Gabriella suddenly realized that Anna was holding the doors, waiting for her to realize that they'd stopped and she needed to get out.

"Oh, right, sorry." Gabriella stepped out of the elevator and felt like she'd been hit with a blunt object as she looked around and found herself thrust back into the past.

* * *

_Sixteen year old Gabriella tapped her foot impatiently as she watched her father laugh with Jack Bolton. He'd promised her father-daughter time and Gabriella had envisioned them walking around the mall together or going to see a movie or even having lunch. She had _not_ expected to be stuck in the Albuquerque office of Bolton Enterprises watching her father talk to his new found best friend Jack. To say she wasn't impressed was to put it mildly. Huffing slightly, Gabriella suddenly stood up from her position on the lounge that Jack had in his office._

_"I'm going for a walk." She announced, not expecting a reply and, satisfied that she was right, stalking out of the Jack's office. Muttering something about 'irritating old men' that she was sure Jack Bolton's secretary had caught as she'd walked past her. _

_Not quite sure where she was going or where her path would lead to for that matter, Gabriella cautiously walked down the hallway, suddenly realizing that nobody would know who she was if she was seen and not quite sure how any of the office workers would receive a sixteen year old girl walking around._

_As she walked, Gabriella couldn't help but wonder which floor Troy worked on. She knew it was probably not a wise idea to ask, let alone try and find his office but still…it fascinated her that someone as energetic as Troy would willingly want to be trapped behind a desk. She hadn't had a chance to ask the last time she'd seen him, which, admittedly, had been for a brief five minutes where they'd only just managed to get the pleasantries out of the way before her father had swept her off to meet his latest date and Troy had pulled over to meet some business men. She wasn't even going to deny that she had spent that entire night watching him, sometimes out of the corner of her eye other times blatantly. _

_To say she had a crush on the much older Troy Bolton was an understatement. She'd been declared hopelessly infatuated by her best friend, Sharpay Evans and she knew that Sharpay wasn't the only that had noticed. Ever since that Christmas party when she'd met him, her father had commented on how eager she was to go to the business functions that she'd always hated. She shrugged it off, not willing to admit that it was the only contact she had with Troy. Sure, she had his phone number but she was much to shy to use it. _

_"Excuse me? Can I help you?" Gabriella blinked in surprise at the snooty voice of the very beautiful blonde secretary. Blushing slightly, Gabriella suddenly realized she'd been standing in front of an office for more than a few minutes._

_"I-I'm sorry. It's alright." She blushed and couldn't help but feel small as the secretary raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at the teenager's words. _

_"Well, why are you still standing here? I'm sure that you can't be too lost." Gabriella wanted to shrink at the blonde's very obvious attempt at belittling her and began wishing that she had never left the safety of Jack Bolton's office. At least the secretary there wasn't mean. Before she could reply however, the office door swung open._

_"Gabriella! What are you doing here?" Gabriella and the secretary both jumped in surprise at twenty-three year old Troy Bolton's sudden entrance. Gabriella blushed as she turned to face him, finding him more attractive than before as she took in the rolled up sleeves, loose tie and mussed hair._

_The secretary was the first to recover from his appearance. "Troy? Do you know her?" She asked, in a voice that Gabriella couldn't help but wince at. It sounded so…so fake. Troy ignored her as Gabriella suddenly smiled at him. _

_"Hey. I didn't realize that this was your office." She gestured towards the door he'd just come out of and Troy shrugged at her comment, before a boyish grin toyed with his features and he opened his arms slightly. _

_"Do I get a hug or what?" He asked and Gabriella couldn't stop the tingle of pleasure she felt at his words before she stepped forward and was enveloped in his strong arms. Gabriella wrapped her arms around his middle and couldn't help but snuggle into the warmth of his chest. She chose to ignore the blonde secretary, who was glaring at her, as Troy squeezed her tightly, both of them holding on for a little bit too long. _

_"So, in answer to your original question, I am here because dad's here. Talking to your father to be precise." Gabriella said, feeling slightly disappointed when Troy's arms dropped and he nodded seemingly absently._

_"There goes having lunch with dad then." Troy muttered before he continued. "Nicole, I sent you an email which has the new contract for the hospital on it. I need you to print it out and make copies of it." Gabriella felt a flash of disappointment when she realized that he wasn't even paying attention to her but to the beautiful blonde, who nodded, apparently enraptured with what he was saying. _

_"Sure Troy. Anything else?" The sugary sweet tone made Gabriella cringe and, as she looked up at Troy, she thought she caught a pained expression pass through his blue eyes before he shook his head and turned his attention back to Gabriella. _

_"So, tell me, how did you end up here of all places?" Gabriella found herself being steered into his office and couldn't help but smile slightly when she realized that his arm had been around her shoulders the entire time._

_"Well, there was some teachers conference interstate that everyone had to go too, so we all got the day off and then dad said he'd take the day off and we could have some father-daughter time." Gabriella explained, tryin to not react to tug of sadness she felt when she realized that the father-daughter time wasn't going to happen at all._

_"Ah. I'm guessing that the father-daughter time isn't going to happen?" Troy's voice was gentle as he asked the question and Gabriella shook her head, sitting down on the lounge in Troy's office. _

_"Guess not. He promised that he would only be ten minutes and I honestly thought he was telling the truth. I mean, he _promised_." Gabriella said, the frustration she felt with her father seeping into her voice as she answered Troy's question. She was vaguely aware of Troy's hand rubbing up and down her arms as she stared at the floor, willing away tears as she realized just how disappointed she was in her father. _

_A tear had just begun to slide down her cheek when she felt Troy's hand on her cheek, his thumb sliding cross her cheek and catching the stray tear that had fallen. Shocked, Gabriella lifted her head to look at him. _

_"It's been hard on you, hasn't it?" He asked gently and Gabriella stared at him, unsure what he was talking about._

_"What has?" She asked, looking at him and not realizing that he was leaning into her, studying her with an intent expression that Gabriella wasn't sure what to make of. _

_"Their divorce." He spoke quietly and Gabriella's breath caught in her throat as she gazed at him, wondering how he could see how much her parents separation had hurt her when not even her closest friends could see how it was tearing her up. _

_Unwillingly, she shrugged, not willing to burden him with what she was feeling in case she was making too much of the understanding she could see in his eyes. Gabriella turned her eyes away from his carefully before she answered._

_"I guess. Is it that obvious?" She couldn't help but be curious about how he knew it was hard for her to accept that the people who she had always thought would last forever didn't want anything to do with each other. _

_Troy was silent for a long time and Gabriella couldn't help but begin to fidget. His stare was making it hard for her to forget that she was all alone with him. Despite spending most of her time with him at all the parties she'd attended with her father, she had never been alone with him. There was always someone lurking just at the edge of the seat they were sitting on or the quiet corner where they were standing. So she had never been truly alone with Troy. Ever. Until right now. _

_At the realization, Gabriella felt her stomach knot and she suddenly wished her would talk. About anything really. Whether it was to answer her question or randomly tell her something, she didn't care. She felt to shy to dispel the tension and she wanted him too._

_"No. It's not obvious." The breath that broke through her mouth was loud enough for Troy to hear and Gabriella blushed at his quizzical look. "Anyway, away from the serious stuff. Seeing as you have nothing to do, how about I take you out for lunch?" It was a casually posed question but Gabriella couldn't stop a blush from creeping across her cheeks as she looked away._

_"That'd be nice. You don't have to though." She muttered, suddenly feeling nervous as she glanced up and saw something shift in Troy's eyes. It was almost like a flash of relief and Gabriella quickly discounted that thought. He was six years older than her; gorgeous beyond belief and always seemed so casually confident that the idea that he would be nervous about asking her something seemed so alien, Gabriella chose to ignore it completely. _

_Troy chuckled at her words. "Gabriella I wouldn't have offered if I thought I had to. I want to. There's a difference." He said, standing up and offering her his hand. _

_Gabriella looked up at him, her heart jumping into her throat as she stared at the picture he made. Her eyes traced over his mussed hair, which spiked in different directions, the twinkling blue eyes, easy grin and down over the loose tie, the top button undone, and rolled up sleeves. _

_Gabriella looked back up and, as she met his eyes, fell head first in love with Troy Bolton. _

* * *

Gabriella fought tears as she remembered how easy it had been for her to fall for him. How simple it was. An offer of lunch and the picture he'd made hadn't been the reason she'd fallen in love with him. No, it had been those things coupled with the fact that he'd understood her at a time in her life where she was still trying to understand herself. He'd understood from a few words and a long look. At twenty-two Troy Bolton had been everything she'd never thought of looking for and she'd never looked for anything after he had caught her that first time.

"Gabriella, can we move? People are beginning to stare." Anna asked tentatively, not quite sure what to make of the wounded look in Gabriella's face or the unnatural shine in her eyes that only a fool wouldn't see.

"Uh…yeah. Sorry. Where are we going?" Gabriella tried not to sniffle as Anna gave her another look. Before taking a step in the direction Sharpay had stalked off to.

Gabriella followed her, trying not to look around too much or compare it to the Albuquerque offices she had spent a good deal of time in since she was sixteen. The offices were maybe a little edgier and the people were perhaps a little younger than the ones she was used to, but they still had the same look about them. The stressed look only a nine to five job could cause. Gabriella could imagine that they were all worrying about deadlines and what would happen if their report didn't reach the level of perfection that was required to be a part of Bolton Enterprises. Gabriella couldn't help but smile slightly at the thought, she could remember nights when Troy had stayed up, fretting over a report he hadn't thought was good enough.

Slowly, the cubicles were the employees worked began to lessen and doors began to appear. Office, Gabriella guessed, for the more powerful members of the company. It had become quieter too, the buzz of voices and keyboards left behind as the walked. They rounded a corner and Gabriella found herself confront with something that was much too familiar.

A beautiful blonde sat at a desk, tapping at her keyboard and managing to look like a poster girl for secretaries as she did so. As they approached, she looked up and, unlike the last time Gabriella had come across a blonde secretary, she smiled pleasantly at them.

"How can I help you?" She asked, in a nasally, sweet voice. Gabriella wanted to smile at her but couldn't when the door to the office she was working outside of swung open and Troy Bolton appeared.

Gabriella's breath caught in her throat as she looked at him. He hadn't seen them yet, instead he spoke directly to his secretary. Gabriella caught the name Rebecca and couldn't help but feel relief when she simply nodded and didn't try and offer any other services to him.

Troy looked up and Gabriella's whole world stopped spinning as she looked at him. As she took in the mussed hair, loose tie and rolled sleeves. Before meeting his dark eyes.

At twenty-two Troy Bolton had been a man she had fallen in love with. He had been gorgeous, sweet and understanding. He had been everything she had never looked for in a guy. He had been someone she could snuggle up on a lounge with.

At twenty-eight, Troy Bolton was the most dangerous thing she had ever encountered. He had an hard edge, he had learnt to demand instead of ask pulling of both without a hitch and he was sexier than she'd ever imagined someone could ever be. He had become everything she'd ever tried to avoid in a man. He had become someone she couldn't help but surrender to completely when his mouth found every part of her that responded fervently. He was someone that she should avoid at all costs, he was only likely to hurt her again.

So why was her heart pounding and her pulse fluttering? Why was a voice reminding her that somewhere within the dangerous man he'd become was the man who had been sweet and understanding?

Why the hell was this Troy Bolton so much more attractive, more perfect than the one she had fallen in love with as a teenager?

* * *

A/N: Done! I had this out much sooner than expected too! Anyway, please feel free to ask questions about the story (Just not how it ends) or anything else. I'll try and answer in the authors note. Anyway, I hope that it was already because I think this chapter is kind of a pivotal point in the story and we find out how serious Chad and Sharpay are! Sorry, I had that planned for a while. However, fear not, this is not the end, it still has a long way to go and I hope that it wasn't too boring!


	8. Still In Love With You

Disclaimer: I do not own 'High School Musical' or any related characters.

A/N: In case none of you have notice, I really did start a new story. It's called 'Your Anything' and it's the pure, slightly nauseating fluff that 'Convincing You To Fall' was. It's going to be so much fun to write! (Just imagine someone squealing that). However, it will not take away from this story. Mainly because this story is sort of becoming my baby. It's the first time I've ever tried writing something that will probably last more than fifteen chapters and have many layers and different elements within it. This story is almost like an experiment, but it's an experiment that I am seriously loving and I know that many of you are loving it too! And because I was just rambling and totally forgot my point, I want to say thank you to all the reviewers! I know the story's not finished yet or anything but your reviews are definitely one of the things that keep me going through out it all!

Sorry, too, this meant up to yesterday and then we had a black out and I couldn't get it up until today and it was driving me mad not being able to post it but its here now! Enjoy!

* * *

_**Memories that Last for Moments**_

**Chapter Eight: Still In Love With You  
**

_You left without a single word  
Not even sorry  
It might've hurt worse to hear you say  
I'm leaving, goodbye  
But your smile still makes my heart sing  
Another sad song  
I can't forget it  
I won't regret it  
Cause I'm still in love with you_

_Still In Love With You - Jonas Brothers  
_

The moment they'd stepped into the restaurant, Gabriella knew that it wasn't going to be a pleasant lunch. Nor was it going to be a very comfortable one with Troy standing so close to her. Though that wasn't as unpleasant as she'd assumed it would be. Instead, her body was reacting to his presence in a very interesting, very familiar way. Just having him standing behind her was sending heat flickering down her skin and her attention, which had been previously focused on the escalating hostilities between Chad, Sharpay and Anna, was beginning to shift to what, exactly, he was doing standing behind her. She could swear she felt his hand ghosting over the small of her back, his fingertips trailing over the smooth skin and Gabriella found herself desperately wanting to close her eyes and indulge in a fantasy where his fingers weren't just touching the small of her back.

A fantasy where his fingertips were ghosting all over her, in places where she wanted him to touch her desperately.

"Can I help you?" Gabriella's half-closed eyes snapped open at the smooth, male voice of the waiter. Startled, she glanced at the waiter and her eyes met bright green ones which bore into her brown ones.

Shifting slightly, Gabriella pulled her eyes away from the waiters and bit her bottom lip slightly when his eyes swept over her, in a way that made her feel like he was attempting to undress her with his eyes. Slowly, a smile spread over the waiter's face, one that made Gabriella wish that he would look anywhere but at her.

"Yes, can we please have a table for five?" Sharpay spoke up and Gabriella let out a sigh of relief when he looked away from her.

"Of course. Please, right this way." Gabriella looked away when his eyes flicked back to her. In a move she knew might throw him off, Gabriella ignored Chad's hand indicating that the girls go first, instead she turned into Troy and the hand that had been ghosting over her back, slid across it, settling on her hip as her shoulder settled into his chest and she looked up at him.

"Brie?" The surprise in Troy's voice told her he hadn't expected her to turn like that or even touch him willingly after her reaction to him in the office. She could remember turning away, blushing furiously at his sudden appearance and stammering something about finding Sharpay.

"You remember how you said this morning you wanted to have lunch alone?" She asked; glancing across as Anna smiled flirtatiously at the waiter who had been staring at her.

"Yes. I didn't think you'd want to agree to it though." Troy said, looking at her curiously. Gabriella couldn't help but smile up at him, her own arm sliding around him.

"I wasn't going to. But that waiter who came over?" Gabriella leaned her chin against his chest as she watched Troy's eyes flicked over to the waiter, narrowing slightly as Troy realized that he was looking. "Wasn't exactly making me feel comfortable." Gabriella's other hand slid across his stomach and down to the other hand that resting by his side, lacing her fingers through his.

"So, I'm being used to throw him off?" Troy's voice was amused but the way his hand tensed in hers, told Gabriella that he wasn't pleased with the idea. Unable to help herself, she pressed a kiss to his chest.

"Yep. But I want to have lunch with you anyway. Not with them." Troy relaxed slightly, whether it was the kiss or her words that caused him to relax, Gabriella didn't know. Instead, she waited patiently for him to reply.

"Okay. What do we tell Sharpay?" Troy asked and Gabriella shrugged, lifting her face from his chest.

"Nothing. We ignore her. She'll get over it." Troy chuckled slightly at her words and Gabriella grinned sheepishly, unaware that they were being watched carefully by Chad, Sharpay and the waiter and unaware that what they presented was a picture of an in love, very comfortable, couple.

"Okay. But you can get your head bitten off when she comes over demanding an explanation." Troy murmured into her ear, Gabriella couldn't help it. She giggled. There was something in the tone of his voice that made her wonder if he was afraid of Sharpay.

"Are we afraid of Miss Evans, Mr Bolton?" She teased and Troy made a sound in the back of his throat that Gabriella couldn't decipher. Before she could ask what it meant, a throat was cleared delicately and Gabriella took her eyes off Troy to turn to look at the waitress who was smiling at them.

"A table for two, I assume?" She asked and Gabriella blushed suddenly as Troy nodded. Carefully, Gabriella removed her hand from Troy's but couldn't remove her body from his. The grip he had on her hip, tightened slightly, and Gabriella bit her lip as the waitress led them towards a table that sat at the back of the restaurant, partially hidden from the view of the patrons who sat amongst themselves in the centre of the restaurant.

Gabriella smiled at the waitress, who winked at her when they reached the table, slipping from Troy's grip and settling herself into the chair and accepting the menu that was handed to her.

"Thanks Amanda." Gabriella glanced up at Troy's voice and wanted to giggle as the waitress' smile brightened slightly.

"I'll be back for your drink order." The waitress said and Gabriella nodded, her eyes locked with Troy's as he turned his attention away from Amanda. Gabriella barely noticed the way Amanda's eyes shifted between them before she walked away.

Instead, her focus was on Troy and the thoughtful look in his eyes that Gabriella couldn't understand. For a moment, only silence reigned between them and then Troy spoke.

"I'll be back, okay?" He said and Gabriella nodded as he hesitated slightly, as if wanting to do something before he decided not too and rose from his chair.

As soon as he was out of her sight, Gabriella slumped back into her chair and breathed out. What was happening to her? She was…she was becoming her seventeen year old self again. Blushing, stammering and unable to remember what she had been feeling before whenever he was around. She couldn't seem to control herself from touching him anymore and that fantasy…oh God, she wanted that to be more than a fantasy. Especially after last night. She wanted to feel him everywhere. She wanted him deep within her, loving her so hard, so fast that she would forget what it was he had done to her.

Gabriella shifted as heat prickled her skin, descending on her in waves that brought a flush to her skin.

Taking a deep breath as she realized that having a fantasy about Troy Bolton during lunch hour at an upscale restaurant, was not a good idea, Gabriella glanced around for something to distract herself with and her eyes landed on the waiter who had been eyeing her at the door of the restaurant. Something about him reminded her of another time when she'd had lunch with Troy.

* * *

_She didn't feel as uncomfortable as she thought she would as she stepped into the restaurant without Troy. They'd been coming to the restaurant for weeks now, having lunch whenever she had a double free in the afternoon and was allowed to leave school. They had a table at the restaurant and their regular waitress knew them now by their first names. But she had never arrived at the restaurant by herself. She'd always met up with Troy at the office before they'd headed to the restaurant._

_Except for today. Troy had left her a voicemail, assuring her that while lunch was still on he had to meet her at the restaurant. It was the first time that they hadn't walked in together and the first time Jane, their waitress, hadn't been there to greet her._

_She wasn't uncomfortable, but that didn't mean she wasn't nervous. _

_She'd been shown to the table by a waiter, one who had managed to make her feel like pulling on the jacket she had brought with her would protect her from the dark brown eyes that had swept over her when he'd come to the front to serve her. He'd walked to close to her when he'd guided her to a table and the tone of his voice had reminded her of Troy's secretary, it had seemed like he was offering her something other than a drink order. His voice, as well as his mannerisms, had made her feel nervous and when he'd walked away, Gabriella had pulled out her phone, sending Troy a message telling him to hurry up._

_He'd sent back a text telling her to give him twenty minutes and he'd be there. It had been comforting up until the waiter had returned. _

_"Are you sure you don't need a drink, maybe a menu?" Gabriella smiled up at him, telling herself to act pleasantly and then he would go away. _

_"Uh, I'm not sure. I was just going to wait for my friend." Gabriella gestured vaguely towards the unoccupied seat opposite her and then inwardly cringed as a slow smile worked its way across his face. _

_"Oh. Are you sure you don't want to order? I'll let you order anything you want." His voice lowered slightly and Gabriella bit her bottom lip, wishing she could ignore the suggestion in his voice. _

_"Um…thank you, but I really would rather wait for my friend," Gabriella said it politely and hoped that the guy would take the hint to leave her alone._

_"Your…boyfriend?" Gabriella's eyes widened slightly at the thought of Troy being her boyfriend and then she blushed, opening her mouth to reply when she was cut off._

_"Hey babe, sorry I'm late." Gabriella's mouth hung open at Troy's sudden appearance and the blush that had spread across her cheeks deepened as Troy stepped around the waiter to kiss her forehead._

_"It's okay." Gabriella said softly, not sure if the blush was going to recede from her cheeks any time soon._

_She expected Troy to go to his seat after he had interrupted the conversation, she hadn't expected him to straighten and face the waiter, his eyes narrowing as their eyes met. Gabriella watched curiously as something passed between the two men that she had never seen before. It was an intrinsically male look that excluded her completely and Gabriella wondered what it was for. She highly doubted that it was about her but still, she couldn't shake the feeling that Troy was protecting her in some way. _

_Unfortunately, before she could do anything about it, the look had passed. She blinked in surprise as the waiter stepped back, clearly indicating some sort of surrender. Gabriella glanced from him up to Troy and was surprised to see a gleam of triumph in his eyes. _

_"Uh, Troy, what was that?" She asked curiously and swallowed when Troy looked down at her, a slow, male smile spreading across his lips as he gazed at her._

_"Nothing, babe, it was nothing." Troy assured her and Gabriella looked up at the man that she was head over heels for and wondered if it was nothing because she had noticed or nothing because it hadn't meant anything. _

_But it couldn't have been nothing if he'd started calling her 'babe', could it?_

_

* * *

_

Gabriella started slightly when Amanda came back, curiously glancing across the table when she saw that Troy wasn't sitting at the table. Gabriella noted the questioning look and found herself shrugging slightly, she honestly didn't know where Troy had gone.

"Can I take your order?" Amanda asked and Gabriella noticed that while she seemed disappointed that Troy wasn't there, Amanda wasn't being any less friendly towards her. This, in Gabriella's experience, was a plus. She'd dealt with several waitresses a long time ago that had actually refused to serve her until Troy had gotten back to the table.

"Um, not yet. But can I order some drinks?" Gabriella glanced over her shoulder, in the direction that Troy had gone and sighed slightly when she saw that he wasn't heading her way.

"Of course. Are you going to order for your boyfriend as well?" Gabriella choked on air at the assumption. Instead of responding to the question, Gabriella glanced at the drinks menu and frowned slightly. She highly doubted she could stomach alcohol at this time of day but in the presence of Troy, Gabriella doubted her ability to stay on one glass of wine and one alone. Biting her lip slightly, Gabriella decided to

"Can I please get a lemonade?" Gabriella asked looking up at the waitress who nodded enthusiastically and scribbled down the order. Gabriella sighed slightly, looking back at the menu and hoping that Amanda wouldn't ask about Troy.

"Sure, now, what about your friend? Do you have any idea of what he might like?" Amanda asked, looking at her expectantly. Gabriella bit her lip and wondered what she should say. She had no idea what Troy would want, at least she told herself that she had no idea what Troy would like to drink.

"Uh, actually, just bring him a Coca-Cola. I'm sure he'll get over it if he doesn't like it." Gabriella smiled winningly up at Amanda, who seemed to grin back at her excitedly.

As she began writing down the order, Gabriella looked away, gazing at the dark wall that she was seated next too. Narrowing her eyes slightly at the wall as she wondered, where, exactly Troy had gone too and why he was taking so long. She was distracted from her study of the wall by a low, male voice murmuring something to Amanda. Frowning, Gabriella looked away and then winced when her eyes met the bright green ones that had been examining her when she walked in.

"Hi, I'm Walter and I'm to be your server for today." He smiled charmingly at her and Gabriella couldn't stop herself from shifting uncomfortably in her seat. She didn't like his smile, it was too obvious that he was attracted too her, to obvious that he had swapped with Amanda deliberately.

"Hi." Gabriella muttered as Amanda walked away, heading for, Gabriella noticed, Sharpay, Anna and Chad's table.

Walter looked at her for a second and Gabriella wondered what he was thinking. She was determinedly avoiding his eyes, knowing that if she met them he was going to take it as an indication to talk and she didn't want that. She wanted Troy back.

She breathed a sigh of relief when Walter, as if sensing that she wasn't going to look at him, walked away. Presumably, Gabriella thought feeling miserable, to go and get there drinks and then come back to her. To flirt with her, to cajole into agreeing to a date and Gabriella knew that he would leave the table again feeling disappointed.

She hadn't been on a date since Troy had left. Not because she was too wounded to attempt to go out and have a nice meal with a nice guy, but because men simply made her uncomfortable.

She'd never been confident with the opposite sex, even when she was Troy's, she had sometime found herself struggling to figure out how to react to him or too shy to even talk to him about certain things. But he'd never made her the kind of unpleasant uncomfortable that Walter was making her feel. _That_ kind of uncomfortable had only occurred to her when, six months after Troy had left, Anna had managed to drag her to a bar. She'd nearly cried when the first man had come up to her. She'd escaped from the conversation and the nameless man as soon as she could. She had told herself it had nothing to do with Troy. Nothing to do with loneliness she had tried to alleviate by agreeing to go to the bar with Anna. She was just uncomfortable around men.

It was too bad that it had been a lie. The man she'd met had been in one of her classes, he'd been nice, friendly and sweet and for a split second Gabriella had thought that maybe she could talk to him. Maybe she could let him take her out and lock what she felt for Troy away. It hadn't worked. She always blamed herself for it too, he'd done something, said something that she couldn't remember now and it had reminded her too much of Troy, too much of the man she'd loved so much that she had left. Run away from him before he could figure out what he had done wrong and then she'd spent that night curled up in one of Troy's shirts, on his side of the bed, crying into his pillow because all she'd wanted when she was talking to the guy from her class was for Troy to come and kiss her forehead and apologize for being late.

Gabriella blinked slightly as her drink was slid under her nose. Staring at the clear, sparkling liquid she raised her eyes upwards as Walter placed Troy's drink opposite her and then tucked the tray underneath his arm, turning to her.

"Can I take your order now?" He asked, smiling charmingly and Gabriella sighed resignedly. She didn't want to order and she didn't want to talk to Walter either. Before she could even look at him, another voice spoke up.

"Actually, we'll need a couple of minutes." Gabriella's shoulders sagged in relief as Troy's strong voice rang out from behind her. Walter's eyes flashed and Gabriella took a deep, relieved breath as she turned to meet Troy's eyes.

He barely acknowledged her as he slid past Walter and sat back down in the seat he had abandoned. Gabriella spun back around to look at him, forgetting that Walter was still standing there.

"That's fine." Gabriella barely heard Walter as she watched Troy lean back in his chair and shove his phone back into his pocket.

"Where'd you go?" She asked quietly and Troy shrugged, lifting his drink to take a sip before placing it back down and raising his eyes from the dark liquid to her own eyes.

"Phone call. When did we change servers?" He asked and Gabriella shrugged, tracing patterns on the tablecloth, not willing to reply to his question in case he flared.

"Probably because I'm here." She replied carelessly and glanced up at him when he heard him snort.

She didn't know whether to be offended or curious about his reaction to her words and then decided she didn't care. Truthfully, she wanted to know what he wanted to talk about. She wanted to know why he'd stopped last night.

"Right. He's the one that made you uncomfortable before right?" Troy asked and Gabriella nodded, watching curiously as a slow smile worked across Troy's face. It was a look that she'd seen before yet, one she couldn't actually place. It was part mischievous, part possessive and Gabriella felt her pulse flutter at it.

"Yep. Why?" She asked and found herself leaning onto her folded arms as Troy leaned in as well, his eyes giving away his plan before he could say it.

"No reason. It's just nice to know who made you wrap yourself around me earlier." Gabriella wanted anger to flare at the careless tone he'd used but found that she couldn't bring herself to be angry with him. Especially when she realized that he was lying.

"You're lying." She stated after a moment and felt smug at the surprise that flashed through Troy's eyes at the accuracy of her statement.

Four years of not seeing hadn't impacted on her ability to read a man that very few could.

"Maybe. Now tell me, Brie, besides Walter, who is charmingly staring at us from his position at the corner of the bar, what made you willingly want to be alone with me again?" There was something about his tone that warned Gabriella to step very, very carefully.

Buying time to formulate an answer that didn't make her sound like a confused, lovesick teenager and didn't give anything that was going through her mind away, Gabriella picked up her drink and took a long sip. Aware that Troy was watching her closely, his eyes dark. Placing the drink back down on the table, Gabriella licked her lips nervously.

"Because you asked me too this morning before you left," Gabriella carefully kept her voice neutral as she watched Troy's reaction to her words. She was startled when amusement flitted across his face before it settled again.

"I know. I didn't think you were going to, though. You've been avoiding me Gabriella, so why start being alone with me now?" He asked and Gabriella didn't understand why some part of her cringed at the use of her full name. It sounded so…unnatural coming from his lips. He'd always called her Brie, unless they were fighting.

Wanting to shake her head at the thought as she fiercely reminded herself that she and Troy were not on good terms and the use of her full name shouldn't upset her, Gabriella held his gaze.

"Because I want answers." Gabriella's eyes widened at the honesty of her answer and then wished that she had thought before she had spoken when the muscle in Troy's jaw twitched slightly.

"You want answers?" He echoed, leaning back, away from her. Gabriella hesitated, wondering if she should nod or pass it off, try and make it a joke.

Then something snapped inside.

"Yes. I want answers. You left Troy. You walked out on our relationship. Without a single word. There was no sorry, nothing. You just woke up and left. I waited, did you know that? I waited, every single night for six fucking months. I waited for you to walk back through the door and make everything better. Do you have any idea how much you hurt me?" She controlled her voice enough to keep it from rising. But the hurt, God, the hurt she'd thought wasn't fresh shaped her tone, letting him know how much she'd gone through.

Troy was silent, studying her intently, his eyes searching for something that would make what she had said untrue. Gabriella refused to let him see the tears that clogged her throat as she held his gaze steadily. Wanting him to speak, just to speak and let her know something, anything, about what he was feeling the way she had just done with him.

"Babe, Brie, I want to tell you. You've got no idea how much I want to tell you," he paused and Gabriella heard the 'but' in his voice even before he continued. "But, I can't. Not yet. It's not the right time for me to explain." The moment the words had left his mouth Gabriella knew her eyes had filled with tears. Desperate tears because she'd only just realized how badly she wanted to understand where it had all gone wrong. When the man in front of her had decided that she wasn't worth it.

"I – okay. Um, I-" He interrupted her before she could make an excuse to leave the table. He caught the hand on the edge of the table, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles as his eyes caught hers again.

"I can tell you this, though. I didn't leave because of you. I'd brought a ring, Gabriella, for you. Leaving you wasn't something I wanted. I stayed up late for the first six months, expecting you to come and find me. I loved you so much Gabriella." The past tense of his statement knocked the breath from her. _Loved_. He'd loved her. He didn't love her anymore.

She wanted to yank her hand away from his, slap him across the face and scream at him for making her love him in any way. She wanted to hurt him for having loved her and not loving her right at that moment.

But she couldn't.

There was something about his eyes, the way he was looking at her that made her want to melt. To curl up against him and let him take care of everything, have him help her sort out all her feelings. It was the way he looked at her that made her wonder if the past tense of his statement was a way of protecting her from something. The way he had with the waiter, all those years ago.

"Troy," she breathed and watched as he raised the back of her hand to his lips. Gabriella felt her skin flush at the touch of his lips to her hand and was once again reminded of the way those lips had awoken her body from a long slumber the night before.

"Have dinner with me tonight." His voice was soft and velvety smooth and Gabriella felt a tingle run down her back at it. It was a bad idea. A very bad idea to nod and say yes. She should say no, make him explain and then leave. But she couldn't. She didn't want to.

She spoke before she could figure out why she didn't want to say no.

"Okay." The single word that left her mouth had his lips curving in a predatory smile that should have made her run for cover.

Instead, she smirked back at him, feeling something primal tug at her stomach as he signaled for Walter.

Continuing to gaze at him, Gabriella barely heard the alarm bells ringing somewhere in the back of her mind as realized something.

The past tense of his statement shouldn't have hurt her. It shouldn't have made her want to slap him for making her love him. It shouldn't have bothered her at all. Unless…Gabriella felt herself go white and swallowed hard.

Unless she was still in love with Troy.

* * *

A/N: Well, okay, so I don't really know about this chapter. But I have to say I kind of like the last part. But next chapter is going to be...well, lets just say interesting. I'm going to have so much fun with next chapter and I am now itching to start writing it! So, if thats the way, there is large possibility that the next chapter will be up on the weekend!


	9. So Untouched

Disclaimer: I do not own 'High School Musical' or any related characters.

A/N: Okay, so I'm excited about this chapter. I got myself all worked up about it when I posted the last chapter of this. Now I'm posting this and I'm really excited because I've been dying to write this since I got the idea for this chapter in my head! Anyway, please enjoy!

And please note the fact that this is an **M** rated story. So if there's anything in this chapter that makes you feel uncomfortable, please skip it. This is a cryptic warning, by the way.

Enjoy!

* * *

_**Memories that Last for Moments**_

**Chapter Nine: So Untouched**

_I feel so untouched  
And I want you so much  
That I just can't resist you  
It's not enough to say that I miss you  
I feel so untouched right now  
Need you so much somehow  
I can't forget you  
I've gone crazy from the moment I met you  
_

_Untouched – The Veronicas_

Gabriella held the slinky black dress up in front of her and tilted her head to the side as she examined her reflection in the only mirror in her room. The black would look good, it would hug her curves and the neckline was modest enough to not make her feel uncomfortable but deep enough to encourage Troy to linger there if she chose to wear it. But it was too…black. It was something that she'd wear to a funeral, not out to dinner with man she may or may not still be in love with who had left her all alone four years ago and wouldn't tell her the reason he'd left.

Groaning, Gabriella threw the dress on top of the other ones she had yanked out of her bag and glanced at the alarm clock that sat on the dressing table. Her eyes widened when the clock read seven-thirty. Troy was picking her up at eight which meant she only had half an hour to pick a dress and do her hair and make-up. She thanked some higher power that had told her to shower before she'd chosen her dress, which meant there was one thing she didn't have to worry about.

At least one physical thing that she didn't have to worry about.

As for her emotions? Gabriella wasn't sure which part of her was going to win the war that was slowly beginning to rage within her. There was a part of her that told her to stay mad, hurt and refuse to go to dinner with him bailing in him in the last moment. But the other part, well, Gabriella wasn't sure whether the other part was being dominated by the aching need within her to have him inside her, to have his tongue drag across her stomach the way it had only the night before. The other part wanted to forget how he had hurt her and fall back into his arms so he could make everything better because that other part of her believed so much that she was still in love with him.

Shaking her head slightly, Gabriella bit back another groan and turned to pluck up the last dress that she'd packed and hoped that this one was going to agree with her need for something that was sexy but she felt comfortable in.

"You know what's sad? He left you four years ago and even though you're still hurt and mad, you still want to look good for him." Sharpay's voice had Gabriella dropping the dress she'd picked up in shock. One glance at the blonde told Gabriella that she'd either had an exchange with Chad or Anna had pushed her buttons. Knowing that Sharpay couldn't stay mad at her boyfriend, Gabriella could only assume it was Anna.

"So? Maybe I want him to drool so I can leave him wishing he had me at the end of the night." The sentence was so uncharacteristic that Gabriella knew she didn't even believe what she had said. Sharpay raised her eyebrows and Gabriella offered a weak smile as she stepped into the room.

"Sure you want that and I want Anna to be my best friend." Gabriella hid a smile at the sarcasm before sighing and picking up the dress again. She ran the silky, dark red material through her fingers before she turned to Sharpay.

"Is it so wrong that I want to sleep with him?" She asked quickly, unsure how Sharpay was going to respond to the question and was shocked when Sharpay's mouth dropped open at the questions. For a moment, silence wavered between them as Gabriella watched Sharpay to try and form a coherent response.

"Are you serious?" The blonde stuttered and Gabriella nodded, deciding that the deep red halter dress she was holding would do for dinner.

"Yes. I just – ever since he kissed me last night, I just…I want him Sharpay. So much." Gabriella said, wondering how Sharpay was going to respond to her honesty. Sharpay's mouth dropped open again and Gabriella wondered how it was possible to shock Sharpay twice in thirty seconds when she'd barely been able to shock Sharpay in the duration of their entire friendship. And that was including the time when Sharpay had first met Troy.

"Whoa, Jesus Christ Gabriella, how long have you been thinking like this?" Sharpay asked incredulously and Gabriella shrugged, turning to the mirror to check if the dress would fit into her criteria for the night.

"Too long. Shar, today at lunch I had this fantasy about him being inside me…Oh God, I got hot sitting in the restaurant." Once again, Gabriella managed to shock Sharpay at her words. It was such a un-Gabriella like thing to do or even say that Sharpay was at complete loss for words.

"I need to sit down." Sharpay managed and Gabriella wanted to roll her eyes before she realized that Sharpay wasn't actually trying to be dramatic. She was honestly so shocked she needed to sit down in case her legs gave out.

"Sharpay? Shar, its not that big a deal. Seriously, I'm just…" Gabriella tried to think of something that didn't make her sound like she'd gone temporarily insane, because she knew she hadn't. At least, she hoped she hadn't gone temporarily insane.

"Letting hormones take over you and not thinking about how much he could hurt you if you actually decide to go through with it?" Sharpay snapped at her and Gabriella bit her lip at the tone Sharpay used.

"No. Shar, I just feel so…untouched and I want him so much." Gabriella said, slipping the dress on over her head and hoping that Sharpay wouldn't make a big deal of it.

"Okay, have you overdosed on some sex drug that I don't know you're taking? Gabriella, there are other men. Ones who haven't hurt you before." Sharpay asked and Gabriella sighed at the words.

"Its not just that Shar. I want _him_, specifically. But its more than that as well. You've got to understand that its more. I just…I think I'm still in love with him." The moment the words let her mouth, Gabriella wanted to take them and shove them back into her mouth. Sharpay's eyes widened and her mother dropped open which brought the total of her shocking Sharpay to a four.

Silence fell as Sharpay tried to formulate a response to Gabriella's statement and Gabriella tried to coax her stomach to stop jumping and color to return to her pale cheeks. Before Sharpay could speak, Gabriella heard her cell ring and she snatched it up off the bed, hoping that it would provide a distraction from Sharpay's shocked and accusing stare.

"Hello." Speaking into the phone, Gabriella spun back around to look at herself in the mirror and her eyes widened at the way the red halter dress smoothed over her breasts and stomach, the material highlighting the curves before it flared out into a gentle skirt that floated to her knees.

"Gabriella Anne, explain to me why I never received the phone call telling me you had arrived safely?" Gabriella dropped the phone in shock at her fathers furious voice rang through the phone. Staring at it, she wondered how she had forgotten to call her father and then realized that he was still on the other end of the line. Leaning down she snatched it up, ignoring the way Sharpay giggled.

"Dad! What – I, uh…I'm sorry?" She sputtered into the phone and hoped that her father wasn't going to blow up on her again.

"Gabriella Anne Montez, you had me worried! LA is not a place you can go and then never call!" Her father all but screeched into the phone, Gabriella rolled her eyes and was about to reply when there was a knock on the door.

She glanced up when Chad poked his head in and winked at Sharpay before turning his attention towards Gabriella.

"Uh, Gabi, Troy's here." Gabriella's eyes widened in shock and she glanced at the clock. Damn, he was early and Gabriella bit her lip as excitement leapt into her stomach.

"Okay Chad," she nodded and then spoke to her father. "Dad gotta go. I'm alive and well. Love you lots. Bye." She hung up before her father could even sputter out a response the quick words. Turning to Chad, who raised his eyebrows at her, Gabriella narrowed her eyes.

"Tell him I'm coming!" Gabriella snapped at him and Chad raised his hands in a mock defense before nodding.

"Okay. Okay. Don't rip my head off." Chad said and Gabriella glared at him as she grabbed her tube of mascara and began hastily applying it, wishing that Troy had been late instead of early, at least then she would be able to apply more make-up than mascara and lip gloss.

"Shar? Can you grab that clutch by the bed? It's the black one and don't put my phone in it." Gabriella asked, miraculously managing to not smudge her mascara and throwing it down as she snatched up her lip gloss.

She heard Sharpay sigh and chose to ignore it as she snatched the clutch, shoved in some money and her lip gloss. Leaning down, Gabriella grabbed her black high heeled sandals and slipped into them, glancing up at Sharpay who was watching her curiously.

"What?" Gabriella asked, straightening and tucking the clutch under her arm, nervously running her hand through the curls that tumbled down her back, the light bouncing off them as she looked at Sharpay.

Sharpay stared at Gabriella and knew, just knew, that she wasn't going to come back tonight. Whatever she said, Gabriella was to involved with Troy to listen to any reasoning Sharpay could think of and, as much as she didn't want to trust Troy, Sharpay couldn't help but wonder if there was a part of him that wouldn't hurt Gabriella at all.

"Nothing. Have fun." She said eventually and Gabriella nodded, stepping out into the hall and taking a deep breath.

Alone with Troy. The very thought sent shivers down her spine as she began to walk towards the steps. No Sharpay, no Chad, no Anna. Just her and Troy out to dinner, trying to figure out where this was going and asking questions that needed answers. As she descended the stairs, she could hear voice in the living room and wondered what Chad and Troy were talking about. Awkwardly, she stepped onto the landing and made her way over to the living room.

"…swear to God, if you hurt her, Troy." Gabriella ignored the words coming out of Chad's mouth and coughed delicately.

"Hi Troy." She murmured, wondering why she felt like he was picking her up for their very first date when she was sixteen as his eyes swung over to her. She offered him a smile that faded as his eyes dragged over her body. Heat flashed through her, pooling low in her stomach as Troy's eyes darkened in approval.

"Hey. Come on. I made reservations." He said quietly, shooting Chad a glance that warned him against saying anything further.

Gabriella bit her lip as he offered her his hand; she took it and followed him out the door not bothering to glance back at Chad or Sharpay who were both watching them leave with the same expression on their faces.

---

The restaurant was Italian, decorated with rich tones of red and gold which flickered in the candlelight. It was cozy, warm, friendly and so incredibly romantic Gabriella's breath caught in her throat the moment she stepped through the ivory covered doors. Troy's arm was around her shoulders as they stepped in. It surprised Gabriella when they were led almost immediately to a secluded booth, hidden at the back of the restaurant almost immediately.

"So…come here often? Or does the entire staff just know who you are?" She asked teasingly, slipping into the booth and grinning up at him. Troy shrugged, grinning slightly as he sat down opposite her, laying his wallet on the table.

"I like this restaurant. Whenever mom and dad come out, we come here. So I've been coming here on and off." Troy replied and Gabriella smiled at him, finding it sweet that he took his parents out or dinner to a nice restaurant.

"That's nice," Gabriella said. She would have said something more but was interrupted by the arrival of a waiter.

Gabriella sat quietly as the waiter poured her a glass of red wine, which she lifted to take a sip of as she watched Troy wait patiently for his own glass. The wine washed through her, the taste of it exuded quality and Gabriella knew that it had to be one of the more expensive ones on the list. A Cabernet, most likely. It calmed her and she set the glass back down, smiling at Troy who was watching her. She was about to ask why he was looking at her, when he spoke.

"You look amazing tonight, Brie." The quiet sincerity in his voice disconcerted her and reminded her of a time when he'd said those exact words to her and she hadn't been able to handle the compliment or what happened after it.

"You've said that to me before." She whispered and their eyes met, his dark and hard, hers soft and lit by the memory that both were thinking of.

* * *

_Gabriella stepped into the Bolton house and smiled hesitantly at Jack Bolton, who had appeared out of nowhere after, Gabriella assumed, hearing her fathers voice. Gabriella stood just behind her father and to the left of her fathers date, Marla Fitzpatrick, who was nice enough but a little bit preoccupied with her father. _

_Glancing around the hallway they stood in, Gabriella wondered where Troy was. He was meant to be in attendance for this dinner and she had gotten a message from him earlier that day asking her what color dress she was wearing. The question had mystified her and when she'd asked why, she'd received a cryptic message that vaguely said he wanted to match. It surprised and pleased her that he wanted to match but it puzzled her too. He wasn't, after all, her boyfriend and she was sure what he had suggested in the message referenced being together in a way that they were _not_._

_"Ah, Gabriella, you seem to have grown more beautiful than last time I saw you." Jack Bolton complimented her warmly, reminding her of her Uncle that lived in New York. She smiled up at him._

_"Thank you. You seem to be getting much more handsomer every time I see you." She said, kissing his cheek as he let out a hearty chuckle, reminding her of Father Christmas._

_"Nonsense. I'm getting old and wrinkly." He said and before she could dispute the statement he spoke. "Now, would you mind going to find Troy for me? Honestly, he should have been down here already." Jack's eyes twinkled as Gabriella's lit up and she nodded in mock seriousness._

_"Of course. I'll be down as soon as I've found him." Gabriella was bounding away from Jack, so she didn't hear her fathers question to the other gentleman._

_"Are you sure you should encourage them?" Alexander Montez asked, perhaps too aware that his daughter was spending more time with Jack's twenty-two year old son than she was with her own family. _

_"Its harmless, Alex, simply harmless. Neither of them are going to runaway to Vegas and get married." Jack Bolton said, quietly assured that both his son and the girl he'd come to see as a daughter were too sensible to be anything more than friends. _

_Gabriella carefully climbed the stairs, taking care to not stumble in the high heels she'd yet to get used to. As she reached the first landing, she was surprised to see Troy standing in the doorway of his room, fiddling with a tie that was the color of a blood red rose and matched her dress. _

_Gaping at him slightly, before giggling when she heard him swear viciously at the tie, Gabriella stepped over to him, her eyes dancing in amusement._

_"Looks like you're having some trouble there Mr Bolton." She said teasingly and Troy looked up at her, shocked at her sudden appearance before he smiled at her, relaxing slightly as she stepped closer._

_"Apparently so. Are you going to help me?" He asked and Gabriella shook her head, giggling slightly before nodding. Reaching up, she carefully undid the knot Troy had formed and smoothed out the separate parts of the tie. Her heels brought her eyelevel to his mouth and while Gabriella was concentrating on the tie, she couldn't help but let her eyes stray to his mouth every so often. _

_Smiling in triumph at the Windsor knot she'd managed to make, Gabriella carefully guided it to the base of Troy's neck and smoothed her hand down the length of the blood red tie, a blush coloring her cheeks as her fingers brushed over his abdominal muscles. Ones that were very clearly defined beneath the crisp black shirt. She was about to yank her hand away from Troy's stomach when she felt his hand sliding over the small of her back, gently urging her forward until her hand was pressed solidly between them._

_Nervously, Gabriella raised her eyes from where she'd been concentrating to meet his brilliant blue eyes, which were watching her curiously, as if trying to judge a reaction she had yet to give._

_"Troy?" Her voice trembled as his other hand stroked up her back, cupping the back of her head and tangling in the long ebony locks that fascinated him. _

_"I'm going to try something…" Gabriella knew what he was going to try even before the first word left his mouth. What surprised her was the way her head fell back as his lips slowly took possession of hers._

_Warmth spread through her as Troy kissed her, slowly, as if he was treasuring the moment as much as she was. The hand trapped between them slid around his waist, removing the last thing that placed space between their bodies. Gabriella's other hand slid up to his shoulder, holding it as Troy's lips coaxed hers into parting for him. Tongues met, tangled and Gabriella felt like she was floating away as the hand holding the back of her head tightened before Troy drew away from her. _

_"You look amazing tonight, Brie." He murmured, studying the blissful, thoroughly kiss look of her face in combination with the form fitting strapless red dress she was wearing. Gabriella smiled, accepting the quick kiss he dropped on her lips as she tilted her face up to him. _

_"Thank you." She murmured, still in awe that someone could have given her the most perfect first kiss ever. _

_

* * *

_Gabriella held Troy's gaze as something inside her clenched at the memory of that first kiss. She had been his official girlfriend a week later and now, six years later, she wasn't sure what she was.

"It was my first kiss, you know." She said quietly, draining the wine at Troy's surprised look. She signaled for another glass as she waited for Troy's reaction.

"I know." He said quietly as the waiter filled up her glass. Gabriella lifted it again as the waiter topped off Troy's, she watched him over the rim of her glass before sighing.

"You did, didn't you? You always seemed to know more about me than I'd ever told you." She said, as if just realizing it. In truth, Gabriella had come to rely on Troy's ability to know or understand things about her that she couldn't seem to communicate to anyone else. Taking another, larger, sip of her wine Gabriella swallowed as she waited.

"You were never that hard to read, Brie. There was just something about you that made it easy for me to see what was going on behind everything you wanted everyone else to see." Troy said, sipping his own wine, watching her carefully. "It was never a burden though. I liked being able to read you, to know things about you no-one else did. It made you even more special to me." Gabriella forced herself to not drain her wine again at the sincerity in Troy's tone. Instead, she took a controlled sip and ran her tongue over her bottom lip.

Troy shifted at the gesture and Gabriella realized that he was watching her lips. So she did it again.

"May I take your order now?" Before Gabriella could realize the power she'd gained in those few seconds of realizing that Troy was watching her, the moment was interrupted and she didn't know whether she wanted to kill the waiter for interrupting something that had been about to happen or thank him for saving her from melting into Troy's arms to early in the night.

"Yes, you may. Uh, I'll have the Penne Bolognese." Gabriella said, watching as Troy drained his wine and took a deep breath. The waiter nodded, scribbling down what she'd said on his pad before looking expectantly at Troy.

"I'll have the Spaghetti Bolognese." Troy said, not taking his eyes off Gabriella who was doing her best not to melt under his heated gaze. The waiter nodded, refilling Troy's glass and topping of Gabriella's before he left.

Silence reigned for a moment and Gabriella wondered what she should say before she realized how much she wanted to tell him what had gone on in the two years he'd been gone and she still did. So she started talking, because she knew Troy would listen and because she wanted to tell him everything.

Gabriella found herself talking as the waiter served their meal and continued to top off her wine. As she talked, she allowed herself to forget that Troy had left her for years ago broken beyond repair because laughing with him now, talking with him, exchanging jokes and moving closer to him as the night wore on, was something too wonderful to ruin with memories of an empty apartment and a scarred heart.

As the dishes were cleared from their table, their wine once again topped off and he laughed at her colorful description of her Creative Writing professor, Gabriella suddenly realized how close they'd become in the hours that they had sat at the table. As soon as the realization spun through her, his thigh brushed hers and Gabriella drew in a sharp breath at the feeling of the sculpted muscle.

Everything she had been feeling since the night before rushed back and Gabriella's mind flashed to his lips on her skin.

Her skin heated and want coursed through her as she unintentionally reminding herself of what she wanted from Troy. It was physical, it was selfish and Gabriella knew that Troy wanted the same thing. The knowledge excited her even more.

"Troy?" He turned his head to look at her and his eyes darkened at the look in her eyes that spoke volumes more to him than they ever had to anyone else.

"Yes Brie?" He asked and Gabriella shivered as he shifted, his upper body moving closer to hers as he looked at her, his hand on steadying himself on the table. Gabriella ran her own hand up the arm that was tense with the effort to hold himself up.

"I still have our bed." Gabriella hoped that was enough to let him know what she wanted. Troy's eyes darkened and before she could think, he'd taken her lips in a swift movement that stunned her.

At first, she didn't respond and then her hands were in his hair, gripping tightly as she urged him to take more. He did, brutally plundering her mouth as his hand slipped from the table to slip beneath the halter dress that had been taunting him all night.

Gabriella moaned at the feel of his hand sliding up her thigh in a feather light caress that aroused her more than the way his mouth was slanting over hers. Gabriella's leg lifted, settled over his as she attempted to pull him closer to her, wanting to feel him everywhere. She felt him against her leg and yanked herself away from him.

"Troy. We have to…" She trailed off as he nodded, his eyes dark in arousal. He knew what she was saying and Gabriella shivered at the dark promise in his eyes. The promise of what was to come.

---

His mouth was everywhere.

Gabriella clung to him he pressed her to the door of an unfamiliar apartment. She was so ready for him, so ready for her world to come crashing down around her when he drove inside her. She'd been ready ever since she'd thrown her arms around him and kissed him again.

Her hips pushed against his, grinding, dragging a groan from him as the door swung open. Gabriella brought his mouth back to hers as he slammed the door shut. She kissed him as if she had endured an unquenchable thirst for too long and the he'd offered her a reprieve from her parched throat.

Gabriella drew back for air as his hand slipped to the back of her dress and found the zipper, yanking it down and sliding his hand beneath the part in the material. Reveling in the smooth skin of her back. Gabriella arched into him as his lips skimmed over her jaw and down to her neck where his teeth sank in as the hand on her back slid up to the halter that was the only thing holding the dress up.

He pulled away and yanked it over her head. The wine she'd drunk cushioned any reservations about being naked in front of Troy. His appreciative hiss at her body had her reaching for him even as his hand cupped her breast, teasing her nipple as he walked her to what she could only assume was the bedroom. Desperate to see his shirt, Gabriella tore at his shirt as his mouth found hers again.

The sound of material tearing whipped through the room as Gabriella scraped her nails down Troy's chest, delighting in the way he groaned deep in his throat. Her hands began working on the zipper of his pants, feeling him only arousing her more as she felt herself falling before her back hit cool sheets.

The momentary distraction was what Troy had been hoping for, before she could tug off his pants, he had captured her mouth again, slipping his hand beneath her panties at the same time.

Gabriella's moan was muffled as he began to stroke. Her hips began to move, her hands grappling for his shoulders as her legs fell open, encouraging him. The moment she came, Troy had the satisfaction of hearing his name on her lips.

"Oh God. Troy. I need you now." She panted it out, even as he began to drive her up again.

Gabriella could feel herself walk the line between heaven and hell and couldn't stop the moans that were escaping her mouth. She gripped his shoulders as her body went taught, as the terrifying wave of pleasure crashed into the receding one as Troy bit into her shoulder and muttered an oath.

Then she was tearing at his pants again, heedless of anything but feeling him inside her. She yanked the pants down even as his mouth closed over her nipple and she felt the pleasure in her core.

Her hand closed over him and Troy groaned as Gabriella ran her hand up his length. He was so hot and hard as a diamond and she needed him. Now.

"Troy. I want you so much." She whispered and heard the material of her panties tear as he yanked them away from her.

He kissed her again and drove into her. Gabriella's cry was caught by his mouth as they were both suspended as for the first time in four years she felt him deep inside her. Her legs wrapped around him and she drew her body up towards his own as for that moment she savored feeling Troy inside her, against her, as she savored the feeling of completeness that only he had ever been able to provide.

And then the moment was over.

His hips hammered against hers as she met his every thrust. Heedless of anything but what he was making her feel, Gabriella found herself walking the tightrope between heaven and hell once again. The tightrope weakening with every thrust of Troy's body, every kiss he gave her, every touch he made.

Tension rose and Gabriella locked her arms around him, the tightrope beginning to break as Troy breathed in her ear.

"I missed you."

The tightrope snapped before she could stop it.

Her scream caught in her throat and every muscle in her body tightened as wave after wave of pleasure crashed down upon her, she heard Troy's groan and held onto him tightly as he came.

Their bodies were sticky with sweat as held her. Kissing her before drawing back. Gabriella looked up into the blue eyes that meant so much to her and slid her hand up his sweaty back, dropping a kiss on his chest.

"We'll go slower next time." Troy muttered and Gabriella nodded, leaning up to kiss him again as his hand began to wander towards her breast again.

She'd felt so untouched before. She didn't anymore. She just wanted this man and, as she felt him harden inside her again, as she moaned in response, Gabriella could only wonder if this was enough to tell him how much she had missed him.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so I hope you enjoyed that. Because this chapter now has made me really nervous. Its the very first time I've ever written a proper sex scene and I hope I did an okay job at it. Anyway, next chapters going to be really interesting, don't we all agree? I hope you enjoyed.


	10. Dirty Little Secret

Disclaimer: I do not own 'High School Musical' or any related characters.

A/N: Well, I think this is the third weekend in a row that I've managed to update. Which I feel incredibly proud of. I think it's because the school year is finally winding down which is leaving me time to relax and get my head straight! Anyway, thank you all for your response to last chapter, it really means a lot to me to get so much positive feedback for it, especially the last part, it had me really nervous and I'm glad that I managed to pull it off! I want to give a shout out to canada4ever and rachrep, simply because I'm reading both their stories and to have both of them review and tell me that I pulled it off was a really great honor for me! Anyway, please enjoy this chapter!

* * *

_**Memories that Last for Moments**_

**Chapter Ten: Dirty Little Secret**

_Tell me all that you've thrown away  
Find out games you don't wanna play  
You are the only one that needs to know_

I'll keep you my dirty little secret  
(Dirty little secret)  
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret  
(Just another regret, hope that you can keep it)  
My dirty little secret

_Dirty Little Secret – All American Rejects_

Gabriella felt him tracing a pattern on her shoulder even before she was fully conscious. Rolling her shoulder, she attempted to dislodge his hand and snuggle deeper into the pillow that had become a substitute for the hard body that had been occupying the space next to her little more than half an hour ago.

She heard him chuckle before his hand trailed down her spine, ghosting gently as she felt his lips press against her shoulder. Mumbling, Gabriella opened an eye and glared at him in disdain, knowing that her indignation at being awoken only a few hours after he had murmured that they needed to get some sleep because he had work tomorrow and she needed to energy to analyze what had happened between them the next morning.

She'd been too content to snap at him for making the comment.

"Hey." Gabriella shut her eye at the soft, slightly amused voice and let out a groan. Gradually, as her mind was slowly waking up, her body was too and her muscles were slowly beginning to ache from their lovemaking the night before.

"Go away and let me sleep." She managed, turning her head away from him and wanting to fall back into her unconscious state. She felt his hand trail down her back again and shivered despite herself.

"Can't. Too beautiful." He murmured and this time she opened both her eyes. His lips were on the back of her neck and his hand was working on turning her towards where he was sitting.

Gabriella unwillingly rolled onto her side, not bothering with the sheet that slid down as she rolled. Troy pulled away from the back of her neck, watching her as she raised herself onto her elbow and half-glared up at him.

"Am not." She mumbled as he kissed her mouth before retracting to study her critically. "How long have I been asleep for?" Gabriella found herself asking, wanting to stretch and then knowing that it would be a bad idea because her muscles would protest strenuously if she did so.

"An hour. I have to go to work." Troy replied softly and Gabriella nodded, closing her eyes slightly as his hand ran through her hair. She wasn't really concentrating. She really wanted to go back to sleep.

"Okay. I'm going to stay here." She mumbled, her elbows beginning to give way. She heard Troy chuckle again and decided that she was too tired to get mad at him for laughing at her. It didn't help that her brain wasn't functioning properly. If it had been, there was no chance that Gabriella would continue lying in Troy's bed.

"Alright. Gabriella? We really have to talk." Troy murmured and Gabriella nodded, murmuring her assent as she slowly began to fall back asleep, knowing that the abyss she wanted to fall into was going to be reprieve from her aching muscles.

She didn't hear Troy sigh nor did she feel the kiss he placed on her shoulder. Instead she fell deep into the abyss and didn't think about the fact that Troy was leaving her all alone in a strange apartment.

---

The sunlight streaming down on her face was what woke her.

Groaning, Gabriella rolled over and refused to open her eyes in case the weak sunlight filtering in through the blinds burnt out her eyes. Clutching the sheets to her chest, Gabriella experimentally opened one eye for a few seconds before shutting it.

They flew open once she realized what she had been looking up.

Gabriella forced her breathing to stay normal as she stared at the picture sitting on the bedside table. Raising herself onto one elbow, she stared at the picture of her laughing. She barely noticed the expensive silver frame that it was encased in. All she noticed was that the picture was there. In this apartment.

Slowly, Gabriella let her gaze wander around the room she was occupying, sitting up as she took in the sleekness of the colors and the overall masculinity of the room, she could only reach one conclusion. She was in Troy Bolton's apartment.

She was in Troy Bolton's apartment _all alone._

Gabriella wasn't sure which part freaked her out more. That Troy had an apartment that he had taken her too instead of taking her back to what she could now only assume was Chad's place or that he had left her there by herself. God, now she wished that her brain had been working when he'd woken her up hours before. Despite the fact that she had a perfectly good reason as to why she hadn't exactly been responsive to him when he'd woken her up only an hour after he'd finally let her fall asleep.

As if to remind her of exactly _what_ he'd let her fall asleep after, Gabriella winced as her body gave a particularly vicious throb.

She needed to figure out what to do. She needed to call Sharpay or Anna. She needed to get out of this apartment before she found something else in it that made her wonder if all of Troy's past tense statements really were past tense. Because if they weren't past tense, well, if Troy's feelings weren't in the past then…Gabriella blew out a breath and ran her hand through her hair. She made a face at the feeling of dried sweat in her hair and then sighed.

She needed a shower. Then she needed to call Sharpay or Anna and get them to come and pick her up. She couldn't stay in this apartment. No matter what Troy had been thinking when he'd woken her up earlier, she just couldn't stay in this bed, in this room. Biting her lip, Gabriella cast her gaze around the room, wondering if there was anything that would cover her adequately. Spotting one of Troy's shirts thrown carelessly over a chair that sat in the corner, Gabriella gathered the sheets securely around her and carefully got out of bed. As silently as she could, she walked over to the dresser and grabbed the shirt, smiling slightly when she realized it was the one he'd been wearing last night.

Dropping the sheets, Gabriella pulled it on, buttoning it up. The shirt fell to mid thigh and Gabriella rolled the sleeves up. Smiling slightly as she breathed in and Troy's scent filled her nose, Gabriella rubbed her cheek against his collar and glanced at the door that she could only guess led to the rest of the apartment.

Curiosity rose like a plague as she found herself wondering what the rest of Troy's apartment would look like. Especially considering she hadn't thought Chad's house had been decorated that well and she had thought Troy had lived there. Gabriella knew that curiosity had killed the cat and she had a feeling that if she went exploring she was going to find something else that was similar to that picture sitting on Troy's bedside table. Involuntarily, Gabriella glanced back at the picture and then squared her shoulder. She had to go exploring, didn't she? She had to find a phone.

Bracing herself, Gabriella opened the door and peeked out. She found herself in a hallway. Stepping out, she shivered when her feet hit cold floorboards, but walked down the length of the hallway, passing three doors. Two of which were bedrooms and one which was a bathroom. All decorated in neutral tones that made the different shades of blue appear even more masculine. As she walked, Gabriella found the hallway opening up into a living room that had a kitchen overlooking it and led off to a dining room at the other end.

Standing there for a moment, Gabriella let her gaze sweep around the living room, taking in the navy feature wall where a huge flat screen television rested upon it, a cleverly designed wooden cupboard sat beneath it, containing what Gabriella could only assume was all the other electronics that needed to be connected to television. The furniture was an elegant mix of black and silver and had been strategically arranged around the living room to give the impression that the room was still large but could be cozy when many people were in it.

It was definitely an elegant, gently proportioned room that hardly looked lived in. Sighing, Gabriella wondered if it had actually been decorated at Troy's insistence because it didn't look like a room he would ever use. Looking around, she spotted a cordless phone and hesitantly padded over to it, picking it up and hoping that Troy wouldn't mind if she used it.

Holding her breath, Gabriella dialed Sharpay's cell number, knowing that she would pick up even if she was in the middle of something. Holding the phone to her ear, Gabriella gingerly sat down on the edge of the black leather couch, feeling awkward sitting there.

"Hello?" Sharpay sounded curious and Gabriella let out a sigh of relief.

"Hey Shar. It's me." Relief colored her tone and Gabriella leaned back at Sharpay's collective sigh of relief.

"Gabi! Where the hell are you? It's nearly one o'clock in the afternoon!" Sharpay exclaimed and Gabriella folded her legs beneath her as she stared blankly at the beige wall opposite her. She winced slightly as her thighs protested before she spoke.

"I know. Shar, I'm at Troy's apartment. In his living room to be precise. Shar, did you know he had an apartment?" Gabriella asked curiously and was surprised when Sharpay took a long time to reply.

"No. Not really. Anyway, do you want me to come a pick you up? Because I can if you want me too." Sharpay offered, her answer to Gabriella's question causing Gabriella to wonder what Sharpay was hiding.

"Um…I don't know. Shar, I might just get a cab, is that okay? I just kind of want to be alone for a little while." Gabriella replied wondering how her friend was going to take being told she wasn't really needed. It wasn't exactly a lie, but Gabriella knew that if Sharpay came to pick her up she would have to explain to her what had happened to her last night and she didn't want to.

In fact, as she looked around, studying the living room again, Gabriella began wondering what had made her panic when she woke up again. Troy hadn't told her to leave his apartment when he'd woken her up that morning and Gabriella realized that there was so much to be said. Especially now that last night had happened and if she stayed here until Troy got back, well then maybe what needed to be said could be said. Without interruption, without distraction.

"Fine." Sharpay huffed and Gabriella jerked out of the contemplation at the sound of her voice, wondering why she sound so…annoyed.

"Don't get annoyed. I'll be home tonight. Just because you don't have to pick me up doesn't mean that I'm not coming home." Gabriella snapped into the phone, annoyed because Sharpay was annoyed.

"I know. But still, I don't trust him around you Gabriella." Sharpay replied and Gabriella rolled her eyes, deciding that she didn't want to have this conversation and wondering where exactly Sharpay's sudden mistrust in Troy had come from.

"Whatever, Shar. I'm going to have a shower." Gabriella said into the phone, stretching an arm above her head and wincing as her lower back muscles let out a cry of pain.

"Alright. I'll see you when you get back." The venom in Sharpay's voice surprised Gabriella and she stared at the phone as Sharpay hung up.

Why didn't Sharpay trust Troy? Actually, Gabriella found herself thinking back to Sharpay's recent treatment of Troy and wondered what it was about her ex-boyfriend that had the blonde riled up. It was confusing because Gabriella could remember only a week ago when Sharpay had badgered her into kissing Troy and now, well now, Gabriella wasn't sure what was wrong with Sharpay. She was acting…she was acting the way she had when she'd first met Troy and Gabriella wasn't sure what it was that had made Sharpay not like Troy at all.

Leaning back against the couch, Gabriella frowned as she remembered the first time Sharpay had met Troy and how she had reacted to him.

* * *

_Gabriella was itching to leave drama. _

_She couldn't help it. It was Friday. It was last period. And Troy was waiting patiently in the car park for her. At the thought of her gorgeous boyfriend, a dreamy smile pulled at her lips. She hadn't seen him all week, though that hadn't stopped her from wracking up a rather large phone bill she knew she'd have to explain to her father when he received the monthly bill. But she hadn't been able to help it; Troy had been in California all week. He hadn't really told her what he was doing, just that Bolton Enterprises needed someone out there and his father had sent him to oversee whatever it was that was going on out there._

_Gabriella wasn't going to deny that she had missed him. The three hour phone calls that she had participated in had made it hard for her to deny that she was missing him. Especially when she signed herself out on Wednesday and realized that she couldn't go to lunch with her boyfriend. Missing him hadn't made her fun to be around either. Both her parents and her father's girlfriend, Marla, had commented that she'd been quieter than usual and Gabriella had pleaded stress from school whenever the subject was brought up. _

_The only person that hadn't believed her when they'd called her out on her moping had been Sharpay. But that was because Sharpay knew she was about as stressed as a snail. Though it hadn't helped when Sharpay had begun badgering her to tell her what was wrong. Gabriella had yet to tell her best friend that she had a boyfriend, let alone a boyfriend that was six years older than she was and she knew that if she didn't tell Sharpay now, it wouldn't go down too well. _

_"Class, you may go." Gabriella jerked at the teachers voice before the dreamy smile on her face transformed into a delighted grin. As quickly as she could, Gabriella shoved her books into her bag and stood up, slinging it over her shoulder as Sharpay picked her way over to her. _

_"So, wanna hang out this weekend?" The blonde asked, examining her nails as Gabriella shrugged, beginning to walk out of the room as fast as she could without seeming desperate to leave. _

_"I don't know. I might be doing something." Gabriella replied, trying not to sound ambiguous and failing miserably when Sharpay raised her eyebrows as they wove through the throng of students crowding the hallway. _

_"You're kidding, right? You've been doing something the past five weekends!" Sharpay exclaimed and Gabriella shrugged, feeling guilty as she realized that she'd been neglecting her best friend for her boyfriend and then realizing that she couldn't juggle both Sharpay and Troy without introducing them to each other._

_"We'll see. What did you have in mind?" Gabriella asked as they burst through the doors into the bright Albuquerque sunshine. Sharpay made a noncommittal sound as Gabriella scanned the car park, looking for her boyfriend's car._

_"Shopping and maybe a - who_ _is _that_?"_ _Gabriella knew exactly who Sharpay was talking about before her eyes even landed on her boyfriend._

_Her breath caught n her throat as Troy raised his hand upon spotting her, his aviators glinting in the sunlight as he leaned against his black Audi. His shirt was unbuttoned and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows as Gabriella lifted a hand and waved back at him. A shy grin now gracing her cheeks as she began to walk down the stairs, completely forgetting about Sharpay._

_"Whoa, wait, Gabs, you know that guy?" Sharpay asked and Gabriella nodded, not taking her eyes off Troy, who had pushed his aviators to the top of his head and was grinning back at her as he patiently waited for her to reach him. _

_"Yeah. That's Troy Bolton." Gabriella replied and sped up. Troy stepped away from the car as Gabriella finally reached him, dropping her bag and wrapping her arms around his neck as he lifted her up off the ground. _

_Gabriella buried her face in his neck, breathing him in and smiling slightly when she felt his lips on her neck. She kissed his neck gently before pulling away. _

_"Hi." She found herself whispering as Troy pressed a kiss to her lips. Gabriella blushed slightly at the kiss, before kissing him again. "I missed you." She added and he chuckled._

_"Hello. I missed you too." Troy replied huskily and Gabriella tried not to blush at the very rare admission. Troy wasn't the type of guy who readily admitted his feelings, he generally showed her cared about her through his actions. Actions which Gabriella was still getting used to._

_"Excuse me. But I do believe introductions are in order." Sharpay's snide voice broke through the tender bubble that had surrounded the two and Gabriella blushed, wiggling slightly before Troy grudgingly set her down, kissing the top of her head as she turned to Sharpay. Ignoring the way they other students were watching her curiously._

_"Sorry. Troy, this is my best friend Sharpay Evans. Shar, this is my…boyfriend, Troy Bolton." Gabriella blushed slightly as Troy leaned down to her ear, kissing just behind it before speaking._

_"Still getting used to saying that, huh?" He asked teasingly and Gabriella elbowed him in the stomach and chose to ignore the fact that she couldn't hurt him even if she wanted to. _

_She looked up at Sharpay, who was watching the two with a cold, calculating look in her eyes. It was that look that had made her the Ice Princess of East High and Gabriella wondered why she was looking at them like that. Before she could ask, the look quickly disappeared and Sharpay held out her hand to Troy, smiling coolly._

_"Nice to meet you Mr Bolton." She said her voice as cool as her smile. Troy glanced down at Gabriella curiously, who was staring at Sharpay questioningly before taking the hand she offered and shaking it hesitantly._

_"Nice to meet you too Miss Evans." He mimicked and Gabriella was surprised by the ice that flared in Sharpay's eyes at his teasing._

_It was strange and it was slightly unnerving to see Sharpay act so coolly in front of someone Gabriella was sure would have appealed her raging hormone and someone who Gabriella was so sure she would get along with. As she stared at her friend, she wondered what it was about Troy that didn't agree with her best friend. _

_

* * *

_Gabriella frowned slightly at the memory. Even now, she had no idea what it was that had made Sharpay look at Troy so coldly or even act the way she had whenever she was around him. Now that she thought about, in the two years that she and Troy had been together before he had left, Sharpay and Troy had only been together a handful of times and Sharpay had made it clear that she was only going to be in the same room as him because Gabriella asked her too. Gabriella hadn't gotten Sharpay's attitude back then and now, well, now Gabriella wasn't sure she understood the sudden change in Sharpay's attitude and she didn't know if she really wanted to either.

She could assume that it had something to do with Anna and how badly she and Anna were getting along. For as long as she'd known Sharpay, Sharpay had tried as hard as she could to fit in with her latest boyfriends families and Gabriella could tell that her not getting along with Anna combined with how much she was feeling for Chad was making her edgy. But that didn't explain the way she had acted towards Troy four years before nor did it explain her change in attitude.

Gabriella sighed and ran a hand through her hair, wincing slightly at the sweat in it before sighing again.

"I'll figure it out later." She muttered, pushing away the thought that Sharpay's sudden change in attitude was just one more thing that she had to figure out.

* * *

Troy found himself staring at his computer screen; unable to contemplate as he thought about exactly how he had left Gabriella. He couldn't help it. He felt guilty about leaving her in his apartment all alone but he had to come into work, it wasn't something that he could have avoided. Besides, he had a feeling that once Gabriella was fully awake she wouldn't want anything to do with him and Troy didn't know if he could handle her rejection after the night that he had experienced.

She'd been everything he had imagined after four years and more. She'd been accepting and passionate. She'd been his fantasy come to life and Troy had been unable to stop himself every time she'd rolled onto her side to snuggle into him.

He'd missed her more than he'd realized.

Before he could think about it any further, his phone rang. Frowning slightly, he plucked it up, wondering who would call him at the office.

"Hello?" He asked and relaxed when he realized that it was simply Rebecca.

"Mr Bolton? A Miss Evans is here to see you." Troy winced slightly at the name. He'd had a feeling that Sharpay was going to ambush him some time soon and he wished that she had chosen to do it in a less public place.

"Send her in." He muttered, hanging up before Rebecca could reply. Swearing under his breath, Troy pushed away from his desk and stood up, turning towards the window and smiling as his eyes fell on the picture he had of Gabriella sitting on the shelf next to the window.

It had been her seventeenth birthday and he'd taken it just after she'd fallen asleep on his bed. Her lips were tilted in a gentle smile and her curls fell over one bare shoulder. She'd looked so beautiful that Troy had been unable to help himself. It had been a picture she hadn't known he'd taken and Troy had decided to keep it that way, framing it and placing it in his office in Albuquerque before bringing it LA.

The door slamming brought him out of his reverie. Takin a deep breath, Troy shoved his hands into his pockets and turned to face a furious Sharpay Evans.

"What can I do to help you, Miss Evans?" He asked coldly, not willing to cower under the glare that Sharpay was bestowing upon him.

"You can tell me what the hell you were thinking when you took Gabriella back to _your_ apartment last night, Bolton." She hissed at him and Troy let out a sour laugh at the implication in her voice.

"Why? Did you honestly think that I was going to take Gabriella back to the house so you could whisk her away and lecture her about going out to dinner with me?" Troy shot back and Sharpay's eyes widened slightly at the accusing tone he was using. Her eyes narrowed milliseconds later and she folded her arms across her chest.

"I told you once before, Bolton, she doesn't need to get screwed over by you again." Sharpay spat at him and Troy's eyes blackened as his temper rose swiftly.

Silence reigned for a second. Just a second and in that second Sharpay realized that she'd made a mistake storming into his office and trying to warn him off Gabriella again, try to convince him to leave her alone.

"But I didn't really screw her over by myself, did I Evans?" Troy asked silkily and Sharpay's eyes widened slightly at the knowledge in the voice. Before she could reply, Troy continued. "I wasn't the one that was in constant contact with our parents during our relationship, was I? I wasn't the one that convinced Alexander Montez that his little girl was acting too much like a big girl. That maybe it wasn't a good idea to let her move in with me. That maybe I was just using her for my own needs. I didn't convince him to talk to my father, did I Evans?" Troy's voice was dangerous and Sharpay spluttered, unable to believe that Troy was implying she had any sort of involvement in what had happened four years ago.

"I don't know what you're talking about Troy." She squeaked and Troy raised an eyebrow, his eyes calculation and disbelieving.

"No? You don't? I don't believe you, Sharpay. Why else would you move to LA as soon as I'd left? You had everything going for you then and your best friend needed you. Why else would Marla Fitzpatrick not like you?" Troy asked his voice so silky that the edge to it was hidden. Sharpay paled slightly at his words, unable to formulate a proper response.

"You don't know what you're talking about Bolton. You have no idea." Sharpay's voice shook, undermining the strength of the words she'd used. Troy shrugged, shaking his head before he spoke again.

"I do know what I'm talking about Sharpay. I know all about your dirty little secret and I know that because Marla told me. How was she meant to tell her stepdaughter that her best friend had been calling her father to give him updates on a relationship that was slowly taking Alexander's daughter from him? How was she meant to tell Gabriella that her best friend was trying to ruin her happiness?" Troy asked his voice hard and dangerous as Sharpay suddenly realized Troy knew more than she'd given him credit for.

"Marla's lying." Sharpay whispered and Troy shook his head, stepping closer to Sharpay and looming over her threateningly.

"I don't think so. After all, she was the only one Gabriella spoke to after I left. It was a game to you, wasn't it Evans? Just a gamble that you lost." Troy said and Sharpay shook her head, straightening and sticking out her chin.

"Go to hell Troy." She whispered and Troy laughed, though it held no amusement. His eyes glittered down at her and Sharpay forced herself not to tremble.

"I've been to hell Evans," he said and Sharpay didn't respond. "Let me tell you something, Sharpay, if you even think about playing another game and calling Alexander or Jack, I'll make Chad rethink that proposal." Sharpay paled at the words. Her eyes told him that she didn't believe him and Sharpay chose to glare at him to cover it.

"You can't make him rethink it. He loves me." She hissed, terrified by the truth she saw in his eyes and Troy smirked.

"I can make him and you know it." Troy snapped and Sharpay swallowed hard. "You added to and were part of the reason for the hell I put myself through for four years because I couldn't have Gabriella. Don't think I'm not above making you suffer the same thing." Troy said it gently, using the same tone he would have if he had been complimenting her clothing. But looking up into his, Sharpay knew that it was no joke and she shivered slightly.

"I don't believe you." It was a last ditch attempt at trying to convince herself that Troy wouldn't destroy what she had found with Chad.

Troy laughed again, his voice and face devoid of any type of humor and Sharpay cringed at the sound.

"I didn't believe Marla when she told me what you did, Sharpay. Believe me; I couldn't see you doing that." Troy said and Sharpay turned to leave, not wanting to continue the conversation anymore and scared by what Troy had just told.

"But then," his voice spoke from right behind her and Sharpay froze. "We all have our dirty little secrets and yours, Miss Evans, isn't going to stay a dirty little secret for much longer."

Troy watched Sharpay leave, his own threat ringing in his ears as he watched the blonde in disgust. Disgust for what she had done to Gabriella. Disgust because he'd thought that she had been one of the few who had supported them together when all she'd been trying to do was tear them apart. Disgust because she'd pleaded innocence the last for years and now it was suddenly clear that she'd known all along what happened.

* * *

A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed that chapter but there's still much more to go with this story and I know some of you are going to be completely shocked by what just transpired in the last part of this chapter but it just makes this story all the more interesting! Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed!


	11. Game On

Disclaimer: I do not own 'High School Musical' or any related characters.

A/N: And the new chapter is here! I'm actually really excited as to where I'm going with this and I can't wait until I read all your reviews for the next couple of chapters! Also, why I would love to tell you all 'why' especially with Sharpay, I can't let it be that easy, it doesn't work like that and I'm sorry for that, in case I get some very angry reviewers. But don't worry, I have something spectacular planned in a couple or chapters or so. So, sit tight, enjoy this new chapter and I hope you don't hate me for the lack of explanation. Although, there might be some pretty heavy T/G interaction, which should make up for it.

Also, I've decided to take the lyrics out of this story, I'm beginning to get too lazy to actually find them!

* * *

_**Memories that Last for Moments**_

**Chapter Eleven: Game On  
**

_We can let go  
Don't hold on to all of life's hardest parts  
When we think of stopping  
Let's keep on rocking  
To the rhythm of our hearts_

_Miley Cyrus - Good and Broken  
_

Gabriella found herself leaving on empty apartment and walking into one empty house and couldn't figure out where everyone was. She could safely assume that Chad was at work, Troy had, after all, left her alone in his very quiet, very large apartment to go to work. Sharpay, well, Gabriella could only guess that Sharpay was somewhere in LA and away from the vicinity of the house. Anna, on the other hand, was probably within the house somewhere and Gabriella closed her eyes in relief.

She really needed to talk to her best friend and gain a completely new perspective on what had happened and what was going to happen.

She couldn't figure out what happened next. She didn't know what Troy was going to do when he saw her. She wasn't sure if he was going to expect more from her or if he really was going to talk to her. God, why didn't she insist on him telling her exactly what it was that made him leave before she gave into her…craving? Lust was too strong a word because Gabriella was pretty sure that what she felt for Troy was so much more than simply lust.

And that was where it all got complicated.

She probably would be absolutely fine if what she felt for Troy after four years of not seeing him was simple lust. But that would mean she hadn't fallen over heels in love with him when she was sixteen, hadn't slept with him on her seventeenth birthday, moved in with him halfway through her senior year and kept their apartment after he'd left. It would mean that there had been nothing between them four years ago.

But then, if they hadn't been involved years before would she feel for him now what she had felt for him at sixteen? Would she have feelings for Troy at all? Would she have slept with him at all? If it had been as simple as lust, would she still be trying to analyze what had happened last night? Or would she simply be anticipating the next time she was alone with him?

Gabriella leaned against the kitchen bench and bit back a groan at the questions swirling her head. This is where she always got confused because when she tried to gain objectivity, when she tried to remove herself from what had been happening, she always questioned how she would act if she had never met him before or if she had nothing but a passing interest in him when they'd met at the party. But that didn't work because she always somehow found herself confusing what she may have felt with what she felt now but somehow, despite how confused she was, Gabriella couldn't help but know that, no matter what, she would feel something for Troy Bolton right now.

It was driving her crazy because she couldn't figure out if she wanted to feel something or not.

Gabriella bit back another groan and rubbed her hands over her eyes. She didn't want this. She didn't want confusion. She didn't want questions. She wanted…she wanted it all to be so simple. She wanted to not feel so hurt yet so euphoric. She wanted to forget what had happened and couldn't help but remember all those times when she'd been so incredibly happy with him. She wanted to have not come to LA as much as she found she couldn't regret coming.

"Think any harder and you're going to give yourself a headache." Anna's smooth, amused voice floated through the kitchen and Gabriella's head jerked up. She looked stunned for a moment and then took a wobbly step towards her best friend before she burst into tears.

Anna reacted with amazing speed. Almost instantly, she enveloped Gabriella in her arms and rubbed her back as she made soothing as Gabriella buried her face in Anna's shoulder and sobbed. Any resentment she felt towards her best friend for keeping her out of the loop, for being friends with the Blonde Tyrant, for forgetting that she'd come out to LA to spend time with her, melted away as Gabriella sniffled into her shoulder, attempting to get words out and failing miserably as she simply clung to her. Her best friend needed her and Anna was going to help her because Gabriella had been there for her in every emotional break down she'd ever had because of a guy.

"Hey, hey, it can't be that bad." Anna murmured as Gabriella finally surfaced from her shoulder, gasping for air and wiping at her eyes. Gabriella let out a weak laugh and shook her head.

"You wanna make a bet?" She asked and Anna shrugged, still rubbing her arm soothingly as Gabriella rubbed her eyes again.

"I don't know. I've had some pretty good numbers done to me in the past. Remember Dean?" Anna asked, drawing a shaky smile from Gabriella before she glanced down and raised her eyebrows at what she was wearing. "Your halter dress get dirty or something?" Gabriella blushed as she suddenly remembered she'd borrowed a shirt and sweatpants from Troy but left her halter dress back at his apartment. She'd made an interesting impression on the taxi driver who had glanced at her several times through the mirror before cracking a joke about one night stands and escaping.

She'd laughed so hard she'd tipped him extra before getting out of the cab.

"I…no. Long story." Gabriella sighed and Anna nodded before nodding her head towards the living room.

"Want to go in there, lie down, turn on Lifetime and talk about it?" She asked and Gabriella, who had managed to recover from her very sudden, very shocking crying episode, nodded.

She followed Anna meekly into the living room, not even bothering to think about going upstairs to change. When Anna sat down, Gabriella stretched out next to her, resting her head on Anna's shoulder and closing her eyes, knowing that she was going to need a lot of sleep after she'd finished talking to Anna. Her sleep in Troy's bed, and then his couch, hadn't done enough to alleviate any of the tiredness she felt, although the soreness of her body had gentled to a rather soothing ache that didn't really bother her anymore.

"An, where do I start?" Gabriella whispered closing her eyes as Anna flicked through the various channels before settling on the right one. She felt her friend shrug and knew she was smirking, just a little.

"How about the beginning? It would help if I had background before we try to tackle this head on." Anna said and Gabriella nodded, knowing it was the logical thing to do before she opened her eyes and looked at her friend.

"Why'd you stop sulking?" She asked and Anna shrugged.

"Because you decided to come to me instead of Sharpay." Anna replied truthfully and Gabriella's mouth formed an 'o' before she sighed. "So, tell me Montez, what's going on with you and Bolton?" Anna asked and Gabriella sighed.

"Oh God, An, it's so confusing. I just…he left; four years ago he left me all alone in our apartment and I didn't know. It took me a month to realize that he wasn't coming back at all. Another six to accept that he wasn't coming home to me. Then nearly twelve to even begin to handle the hurt." Gabriella squeezed her eyes shut at the memories of those times threatening to break through. "I loved him An. I was sixteen and I fell so hard for him. He was six years older than me, gorgeous beyond belief and understood me. He just…got me." Gabriella said and felt Anna snort at something.

"Six years older? Gabriella, that's a pretty big age difference." She said bluntly and Gabriella sighed before shrugging.

"I know. But it was never really that big a deal to us. Is it any worse than when they're five years older or even four? It doesn't really matter when it comes down to it. He took it so slow with me. He never pressured me or even wanted something I couldn't give to him. He was so understanding, so sure of himself around me and he taught me everything. I honestly never thought he'd have that much patience." Gabriella sighed, opening her eyes and sighing.

"We never really hid it but we never really announced it either. We were just careful enough in public. He held my hand, kissed me and we did all that innocent couple stuff that you do in high school." Gabriella raised a hand to her forehead and pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead.

"I was ready Anna," she said quietly, finding it strange that she was admitting it out loud when she really hadn't even wanted to think about it. "I was living with him, we were sharing everything. He loved me. I loved him. Our families approved, sort of. Damn it, I was eighteen and couldn't see my life without him." Gabriella said, feeling frustrated at not being able to say it and unable to overcome whatever it was that was stopping her.

"So…he was 'the one'?" Anna asked carefully and Gabriella nodded before shaking her head, sitting up she took in a deep breath.

"I don't think I really believe in all of that. But, I guess." Gabriella replied, nodding her head and not noticing Anna rolling her eyes at her friends answer.

"Then what happened. You were living with him, in love with him, ready to marry him and then what?" Anna asked softly, sympathetically and Gabriella closed her eyes.

"We woke up; it was a Friday, a normal Friday morning. He woke me up the way he normally did. We had breakfast. I got ready for school, he got ready for work. He kissed me, told me how much he loved me and then…" Gabriella trailed off, staring at the wall with faraway eyes. "And then he never came home." She whispered and Anna, who was studying her friend thoroughly, finally saw the real damage that had been inflicted upon Gabriella when Troy had left.

"Okay. What's happened now?" Anna asked carefully and Gabriella looked over at her before shrugging.

"I slept with him. Oh God, Anna, I slept with him and now I don't know if being hurt is enough to stop me feeling like this! I don't know what I feel for him! Shouldn't I feel something like hate? Like anger? Like, like, vengeful?" Gabriella asked desperately and Anna looked at Gabriella and saw, very clearly, what Gabriella was feeling for Troy. She saw that faint sparkle she'd never seen before, she saw the way Gabriella wrung her hands nervously and knew, just knew, that Gabriella was in denial. But she wasn't going to point it out. It wasn't her job nor was it her place, to gently steer Gabriella towards how she really felt about the man who had left her four years ago.

Not that Anna condoned what Troy had done. But she knew, just from the way Troy looked at Gabriella, that there was nothing about his leaving her that had been choice. Anna could only guess that there was a lot more to the story than anyone else knew and because she knew how much Gabriella felt, Anna wanted to know what it was that had given Troy no choice but to leave the woman who he looked at like she held all the answers to every difficult question in his life.

But she couldn't do that now. Right now, she had to concentrate on her best friend.

"Gabi, don't snort or scoff, but do you believe in fate?" She asked gently and Gabriella threw her a strange look. "Fate, destiny, freak cosmic happenings. Take your pick, do you?" Anna asked and Gabriella shrugged.

"Not really. Does Karma count?" She asked and Anna shook her head.

"No, 'cause Karma sucks. It would mean you'd had to have done something incredibly wrong for Troy to leave you." Anna dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand, "what I'm talking about is…what if Troy really is 'the one'? What if in some twisted way, which we would call fate in this case, he left you only to be returned to you so you could love him so much more than you did before?" Anna asked hesitantly and Gabriella gaped at her for a second, unsure how to handle being asked that question before shaking her head.

"No. Uh-uh, no way. That's not helping me figure out how I feel Anna!" She exclaimed and Anna rolled her eyes, deciding to let go of the 'fate' idea and instead going for a logical approach to the ordeal.

"Gabriella, you have to figure that part out yourself, cause, honestly sweetie, you're the only one who knows how you honestly feel about Troy. As for the sleeping with him thing, you'll probably do it again. But that's really only because the physical attraction between you and Troy alone, is probably the hottest thing I have ever seen. It's definitely enough for you to end up in his bed all over again." Anna said and Gabriella sighed, knowing Anna was probably right and unsure how to handle it.

"I-I guess so." She murmured quietly and Anna nudged her before they both turned her attention to an awkward looking kiss between the main characters of the movie they were watching.

They watched in silence for a moment, Gabriella trying to figure out how to handle what Anna had said and Anna wondering about something she'd wanted to know about Troy for a _very_ long time.

"So, what's he like in bed? Because, you know, guys like that can be incredible in bed or they can be really horrible." Anna said and Gabriella let out a scandalized laugh at Anna's question before shaking her head.

"An, just trust me on this, Troy Bolton is so much more than incredible in bed. I lost count." Gabriella replied and Anna's eyes widened at her implication. Before she could respond or even muster up a wolf whistle, both heard the door open and Gabriella knew exactly who it was.

She sprung up from where she had been leaning casually against Anna's shoulder and hastily tried to make her clothes, well his clothes, less rumpled. She ignored Anna who was watching her with a curious look on her face and froze when Troy stepped into the living room.

There eyes met and Troy's smoldered in a way that knocked the breath from Gabriella's body. She stared helplessly as his eyes roved down over her. Her body responded to his gaze as if his hands were touching it, caressing it the way he had last night. She could feel her insides melting and her body slowly becoming boneless, ready for him even before he had touched her.

"Hey." He murmured and Gabriella swallowed hard as he took a step towards her, bringing him a step closer to her.

"Hi." She replied and tried to find some part of her mind that could come up with an excuse to get Anna the hell out of there.

Anna, it seemed, was one step ahead of her. "And that's my cue. Troy, can I borrow your car?" Anna asked, aware that his eyes hadn't left Gabriella since he'd stepped into the room and knowing that she had exactly ten seconds to get out of there before he dragged her to the floor, heedless of anything around them.

"Sure. Don't scratch it, crash it or get it dirty." Troy tossed her the keys and Anna nearly sprinted from the room, doing her best to seem too eager to get out of there. Quickly, she grabbed her wallet, phone and by 'accident' Gabriella's phone as well. She had a call to make.

Gabriella barely registered Anna leaving the room. She didn't really care either. All thoughts of the conversation they'd been having before left her mind, blanking it out as Troy's gaze slid back up to her face. She was the first to speak.

"You have an apartment." She whispered as he took a step closer, wanting to prolong the pleasure of looking at her in his clothes for a little longer.

"Yes. I do." He nodded, watching as the shirt slid as she shifted, coming close to dangling off her shoulder, exposing the smooth skin of her shoulder.

"Why?" She asked as Troy took another step, then another until the bodies brushed. Gabriella tilted her head back as she looked up at him. Troy watched as her eyes darkened as he flicked a button and material on her shoulder slid down further, exposing more skin.

"Because I brought it when we got out here," he flicked another button, then another as he spoke. "Technically, it's only a requirement. If I need to have a business dinner or something I have it there. I even sleep there when the mood suits me. Last night it was for the quiet. The privacy." His hand slid beneath the shirt, cupping her breast, flicking a finger over the hardening bud at its tip.

Gabriella moaned. "Okay. Whatever." She managed before she dragged his mouth down to hers and let him feast.

---

Later, much later judging by the darkening sky and the rising moon, Troy raised himself on his elbow to gaze down at Gabriella. She looked so peaceful and innocent as she slept. When he'd slept in a bed next to her, he had sometimes found himself awake at odd hours of the night, just watching her sleep, wondering how he could have been so lucky to have her. He'd never really had a serious girlfriend before Gabriella. His romantic history before her had been littered with short term girlfriends, random hook-ups and many more one-night stands. It had been his way of protecting himself in case he did get a serious girlfriend and she wasn't in it for him. But something worth much more.

Troy had seen what people did for the kind of money he earned and would inherit. It had been enough to turn him cynical about people before he was even old enough to really understand what it could do to his personal life. He'd had few real friends in high school but only because he'd guarded himself against the people who wanted something from him. Who he was had spread around East High even before he had arrived and while Troy had chosen to ignore it, he had also been very aware of it. College had been no different, though perhaps Troy had gotten by a little better. Simply introducing himself as Troy and never as anything else. If someone recognized him, well, Troy chose to pretend that he didn't have the money that he was rumored to have.

He'd met Chad in college and, though Chad had recognized him, Chad had proven to him that there really were people who didn't care who he was. They cared about Troy. It was one of the only, solid, close friendships Troy had ever experienced and he knew that Chad was aware of that but chose not to acknowledge it.

His romantic reputation was worse. In high school, his parent's money, looks and popularity had made him a target for many of the girls within the walls of East High. He'd chosen to enjoy what was offered to him but never get emotionally attached. Except for one girl in high school, a quiet girl who had managed to make him feel normal before she'd had to move away from him, Troy had spent a great deal of time training himself to never see it as anything more than it was. He'd worked his way through college with the same attitude, never quite afraid that someone like the quiet girl in high school would take a different route around him and to his heart but cautious enough to look out for someone like her and dodge it.

Work had been his excuse after that. Though a string of secretaries had offered more than how many words a minute they could type to him, on more than one occasion. The worst, he recalled, had gone by the name of Nicole and had offered him her services more than once a day. He'd never been tempted, not even when one of them had worn an embarrassingly short skirt. He'd settled his secretary problems by hiring Rebecca, who was a motherly type and scolded him for loose ties. He'd never even gone past two dates with someone during that time. Though confident in some aspects and a brilliant judge of character, Troy could never bring himself to see where it went after the second date and he'd coaxed them out of their clothes. He knew he could never be able to lay out everything he was to someone who smiled a little too brightly.

Then Gabriella had happened. Smiling slightly, Troy traced a finger down the side of her face gently. Nothing had, or could, have prepared him for her. He'd tried so hard not to let her affect him in the beginning. She'd been his quiet girl in high school but so much more than that at the same time. She'd been innocent and beautiful and she trusted him more than anyone else he'd ever met. She had gone through his back door and Troy had been cut off at the knees the first time he'd kissed her. Though he'd known it had been serious from the first time he'd kissed her, knowing that and acknowledging it had taken him some time.

The first time he'd really, truly been aware of how serious he was about Gabriella, how much she had begun to mean to him in the short time they'd begun 'casually dating' had been the first time he'd ever become possessive of her.

* * *

_He was over it._

_It was plain and simple and Troy knew that if he had sit in another meeting between his father and the representatives of the Japanese company that wanted to set up a joint business between them in Japan, he would tear his hair out or scream or snap Nicole's neck because she had yet again offered him a relaxing massage. One he was sure would involve activities that were illegal in some states. His head had been pounding since midday, when the Japanese representatives had insisted on bringing one of their own over to America to learn how Bolton Enterprises worked before going back to Japan and helping set up at the company. Jack Bolton had not been pleased with the idea and Troy had panicked when he'd seen that his father's intention had been to send him over there. _

_No way in hell was he going to a country where he couldn't speak the language._

_Now he had a killer headache, the urge he'd had for several weeks to throttle Nicole had gone up a notch and, though his hair was intact, Troy was pretty sure it wouldn't be by tomorrow. There was another meeting. This meant another suggestion by the reps and another gleam of steel in Jack Bolton's eyes and Troy desperately wished he could call in sick but knew he wouldn't be believed. _

_What he really needed right now was a cold beer, a hot pizza and warm, soft body curled up next to him helping him forget about his day by telling him about hers. _

_He needed Gabriella. Though the thought should have frightened him, Troy rubbed his hand over his eyes and decided he was too tired to really think about why it should have frightened him. He just wanted to see her and he knew that hearing her voice when he called her wasn't going to be enough._

_As he stepped out of the elevator and headed towards his apartment, Troy wasn't surprised by how quiet the floor was. It was close to ten o'clock and most of the people that lived in his building were either elderly or had small children, all of which meant that if they were up it meant that there was something wrong or they were having a late night. Either way, Troy was grateful for the silence of the hallway and the improbability of making small talk with the people who lived on his floor. _

_Pulling out his keys, Troy stopped at his door and, out of habit, turned the doorknob. He was shocked when the door swung open easily. _

_He bit back a groan because he could only think of three people who had a key to his apartment and knew that, in all probability, his mother was waiting for him in his living room, sitting primly on the arm chair he'd been made to buy and waiting for him with a frown on her face. _

_He considered turning around and walking back out when he heard the faint noise of the television and knew it wasn't his mother. She didn't watch television when waiting for him. She read or cleaned. It was her rather annoying habit. _

_Closing the door, Troy tossed his wallet and keys onto the table that sat just inside of the door, against a wall and stripped till he was naked from the waist up. _

_He was honestly going to kill Chad. Troy could only guess that Chad hadn't been bothered to drive all the way home, resulting in the bushy-haired male to end up at his apartment, using the key for 'emergencies only'. Troy doubted it had ever actually been used for an emergency. _

_After kicking off his shoes, Troy padded into the kitchen and grabbed a beer from the refrigerator. Absently noting that there was the same amount in the fridge as there had been when he'd left that morning. Unscrewing the cap and taking a long large gulp, Troy turned and nearly spat out the mouthful of beer he'd acquired. _

_He had sworn it was Chad or his mother. He had sworn that the third person he'd given a key too wouldn't have used it at all. Not unless there was external force used. _

_But he was proved incredibly wrong as he stared at Gabriella Montez. _

_She was stretched comfortably across his couch, her eyes trained on the television. Troy felt lust, something that wasn't new to him when looking at the gorgeous brunette, curl in his gut as his eyes dragged over the toned legs that were on display and the glowing skin of her stomach as the shirt she wore hitched up slightly._

_The ball of lust tightened when he realized that Gabriella hadn't only used the key, she was wearing his shirt. _

_Troy wasn't sure what it was, but there was something unspeakably erotic about her wearing his clothes. Maybe when she stood up, he'd know why._

"_What are you doing here?" Troy winced at the question and then held back another as Gabriella shot up like an arrow and she spun to look at him standing in the kitchen. Her eyes widened and she blushed before standing up. _

_The ball of lust nearly exploded as his shirt fell to mid-thigh on her, the shorts she was wearing only managing to peak out from beneath it, and the shoulder of one side slid off her shoulder, exposing the tanned glossy skin to the world. _

"_I – uh – well. I know you said to use that key only for emergencies or if I needed a quiet place to study or whatever but," Gabriella was flustered as she waved her hands around. "I got your message this afternoon. You know, about wanting to tear your hair out? And I figured you'd probably feel better if I was here instead of…are you mad?" She asked and Troy had to blink to keep up with the explanation. _

_His eyebrows rose at her question as he wondered how he could be mad at her when she was standing there, tousled from lying on the lounge, one shoulder bare and a very apprehensive expression on her face._

_He set his beer down and walked around the kitchen bench so he could reach her. She looked up at him, apparently unaware of what he was going to do and her eyes widened as she fidgeted nervously, waiting for him to say something._

_Troy didn't. Instead, as slowly as he could, he leaned down and kissed her. Soothing his headache slightly when he felt her hand touch his face tentatively as she responded hesitantly. He pulled away as the lust in his gut demanded more than the gentle kiss he'd given her. He kissed her once more before replying to her question._

"_I'm not mad. Not at all." Troy barely realized that he meant to say more when there was a knock on the door. She pulled away from him fully and grinned._

"_I was hoping you would say that. I ordered pizza." She replied as the knock sounded, he grinned as she kissed him again before grabbing her bag, which sat at the edge of the couch and fishing out her wallet. _

_Troy watched her go, wondering how she knew to have the pizza delivered this late and then frowned when he heard her enthusiastic greeting of the pizza deliverer. _

"_Nathan! Hi, I didn't know you were a pizza boy." Troy leaned back slightly, knowing that he could see just down the hallway that led to the front door and frowned at the tall boy standing in the door way, grinning down at Gabriella with a look in his eye that Troy didn't quite like. _

_Something else curled in his gut at the way the boy was looking at her, or rather, tracing her legs with his eyes. Something that was much more primal and instinctive than lust. Something that wasn't quiet jealousy but very much close to possession. _

"_Well, yeah, I guess I am. What are you doing here?" Gabriella glanced up at Nathan Hodges, wondering why he was so curious as she searched for the twenty-five cents she needed to pay him with. _

"_Well-" She was cut off as Troy's strong arm slid around his waist and he pulled her back against his bare chest. She tried not to shiver at the way the skin of her shoulder pressed against the warm skin of his chest but found she couldn't._

"_Babe, do you need some money?" Troy knew what he was doing as the boy standing in his doorway showed surprise at his sudden appearance. _

_Troy coolly assessed him as Gabriella muttered something he didn't quite hear. The slow, possessive, completely male look Troy sent him was enough for Nathan Hodges to pale slightly as Troy spread his fingers over Gabriella's stomach, pressing a kiss to her bare shoulder as she sighed in frustration. It was a very clear message that Gabriella was very much taken and Troy knew that Nathan had gotten the hint when he stepped back._

"_Troy, do you have twenty-five cents?" She asked, her voice frustrated and Troy couldn't help but chuckle slightly at her as she turned around to look up at him, her eyes annoyed. He pressed a kiss to her forehead before putting a hand in his pocket and pulling out the loose change that was always in there. _

"_Here." Troy showed her what was in his other palm, his other hand occupied with holding Gabriella firmly against him for as long as possible. _

_He didn't hear her thanks as she turned her attention back to Nathan or even acknowledge the way she leaned back against him as Nathan pocketed the money. _

_He was only aware of the curling in his stomach that had nothing to do with possession or jealousy or lust. It had everything to do with a fear that had finally been realized. This thing with Gabriella was much, much more serious that he'd ever planned on._

_

* * *

_Troy pressed a kiss to Gabriella's arm as he fought the stab of pain at the memory. It had been the first time he'd ever come home to Gabriella and it had been a memory that he hadn't been able to not make hurt in the four years he'd been gone.

Because he'd known then almost as well as he'd known now. Gabriella wasn't just the quiet girl in high school. She was so much more to him and Troy wasn't sure how he was meant to tell her that when he knew that she wouldn't believe him. Frankly, Troy wouldn't believe him either but he knew he had to try. It was beginning to hurt to have her so close, even more now that she was lying naked beside him, but unable to tell her what he felt, what had happened.

Before he could think about it anymore, Gabriella's eyes fluttered open and, Troy watched in shock, as a lazy smile crossed her lips. The hand that rested on his stomach moved to find his and their fingers linked as she pressed a kiss to his shoulder.

"You know, I don't think we should have had sex on Chad's living room floor." Gabriella murmured, still half asleep as her words suddenly reminded her where they were and who, exactly, could walk in on them.

At the thought of Sharpay, Troy's lips tightened. He had no idea what she was going to do now that she knew he knew and right now, Troy knew he shouldn't worry about it but he was too aware of Sharpay's personality. It had surprised him what little fight she'd had when he'd told her he knew what she had done. How much of a hand he knew she'd had in making him leave. But something in his gut told him that it wasn't over. Sharpay wasn't going to let him ruin a ten year friendship, not even if her life depended on it.

"Yeah, well. I couldn't help it." Troy murmured and Gabriella sighed. "Gabriella, we need to get up and talk." Troy said and tried to ignore Gabriella's murmur of protest and the way she snuggled closer to him.

But Troy needed to talk to her. He needed to figure out what was going on. He needed to know what was going on inside her head and he needed to do that when she wasn't naked and the need he'd had when he'd walked into Chad's house wasn't coursing through his veins.

He needed to tell her the truth and he needed to do it now. They were in too deep and Troy could only guess that whatever he said now would dictate the course of their relationship from here on out. She had to know and Troy had to tell her before his feelings teetered over the very high cliff he'd walked them too.

He carefully extracted himself from her, throwing her one of his shirts and pulling on his pair of boxers, Troy rose and headed to a window. Knowing it probably wouldn't help when Chad walked in; Troy opened the window hoping that the fresh air would at least erase the smell of sex. He turned and something in his stomach jumped at the sight of Gabriella standing there, watching him, her hair all over the place and a sleepy, content look in her eyes.

Troy hated that he was going to have to take it away.

"Come into the kitchen. I'm thirsty." He said and moved to walk past her when Gabriella caught his hand, entwining their fingers as she stood on her toes and kissed him. The kiss was soft and sweet and something that was so signature of Gabriella that Troy's hand tightened around hers before she pulled back.

"Just so you know, I don't hate you anymore." She murmured and Troy dropped his forehead to hers in despair. If she didn't hate him anymore than she was going to hate him when he reminded her that he left and told her why.

Troy chose to not to think about what would happen if she didn't believe him. About anything. As he led her into the kitchen, he felt something tighten in his chest as he realized that this was it. He was going to tell her everything. Lay it all out there and then they could figure out what was happening between them now.

Troy took a long drink from the glass of water he'd poured himself before he turned and his stomach dropped at the sight of Gabriella sitting on the bench, idly watching him, her feet swinging as she half-smiled at him.

He stepped over to her, slipped his arms around her waist as her own draped over his shoulders.

"You're beautiful." He whispered honestly, not knowing what else to say as she leaned in and kissed him gently.

"Thank you." Gabriella murmured. She continued before he could speak. "I'm confused Troy. God, I don't want to be confused. How can I sleep with you and not know how I feel? How can I still act like I'm yours when you left me?" She asked, burying her face in the side of his neck as she spoke. Troy froze. He didn't want to wonder why she was asking him but couldn't help it. She shouldn't be asking him something like that. Whatever he said, whatever he did wasn't what she should want to hear. He was the one that had hurt her, he had left and he was the one that had her feeling like this. Why was she asking him?

"I don't know." He replied honestly and pressed a kiss to her clothed shoulder. "Do you want to know?" He asked carefully, wondering if she wanted to hear what he had to say if she didn't know how she felt.

Her head snapped up, off his shoulder and her eyes widened at the question. For a moment, he watched as anger mixed with disbelief flashed through her before she sighed.

"So, now's the time to tell me? Now? After you've slept with me? Right now, after you fucked me in that stupid living room? You want to tell me now?" She snapped at him and Troy kept his face neutral at her assault, wondering how he hadn't seen it coming and being very careful at how he began.

She opened her mouth to say something more when Troy caught her in a torrid kiss that had her melting against him almost instantly. Whatever happened between them, he thought wryly, she still couldn't control her physical reaction to him. It was a piece of information he tucked away as she surfaced for air.

"Yes, I'm going to tell you now. Because I can't sleep with you and not have you know. It kills me." It was perhaps one of the most honest things he'd ever said to her since she arrived and Troy dropped his forehead to Gabriella's as she stared up at him, waiting for him to begin.

"Okay. Tell me." She whispered and Troy sighed, wondering how he was going to tell her when she wasn't even fully clothed.

"It wasn't your fault. None of it was your fault. You know that right?" Troy asked, knowing he had to make that clear to her before he even began, Gabriella nodded and Troy sighed. "Good. I wasn't going to leave Albuquerque. At least, I wasn't going to leave until you graduated and could come with me." Troy mumbled and Gabriella's eyes widened slightly at the admission.

"You weren't?" She asked in disbelief. Troy shook his head.

"No. Originally, we were setting up the offices in San Francisco. Right near Stanford. I had an apartment, an apartment that you had unknowingly decorated." He said with a slight chuckle and Gabriella's eyes widened, her heart beating faster as she realized that he was actually going to tell her.

"You mean all that color coordinating, the furniture shopping, all of that was for an apartment in San Francisco…near Stanford." Gabriella's tried to control her breathing as she realized that Troy had planned the Californian branch of Bolton Enterprises, his whole life, around her plans to attend Stanford.

"Yeah. It looked really good too. It was going to be my graduation presentation to you." Troy said and Gabriella suddenly saw how clearly he'd planned it out. A sick feeling in her stomach told her that maybe she'd been too blinded by her hurt and his deception to actually fully realize that there was more to the story. What man who was planning to leave his girlfriend planned his business, his future, around a city and a college that he had no connection with?

"What happened?" Gabriella asked quietly and the pause made her heart ache. Before Troy could reply, before he could even open his mouth to speak, a loud shriek filled the kitchen.

"I'm getting married!" Sharpay Evans ran through the kitchen door, in her opinion, in record time. She could only guess that the scene she'd burst in on was Troy beginning to spill her secret.

Annoyance flashed through Gabriella's eyes before they latched onto the diamond that sat on Sharpay's left hand. Her eyes widened and she realized that Sharpay was telling the truth.

"Congratulations! Oh my God! You're getting married!" Troy stepped aside to let Gabriella down off the bench and he watched as she raced across the kitchen to Sharpay, flinging her arms around the blonde as Sharpay babbled.

"He asked me a couple of weeks ago but I only say yes today. Oh my God, Gabriella! I'm getting married!" Sharpay's eyes met Troy's over Gabriella's shoulder and Troy shook his head. Seeing straight through Sharpay's excitement.

Oh, he had no doubt it was real. He knew that Sharpay did love Chad and that she had been seriously contemplating marrying him but this…this was too low. This was too much of the start to a game she was going to lose. Troy had no doubt that Sharpay was going to cajole Gabriella into staying for a few more weeks, to help her plan the wedding and he had no doubt that Sharpay would keep Gabriella so busy she wouldn't have time to dwell, let alone finish, the conversation that they had started.

'Game on, Evans,' Troy thought as he watched the two girls squeal. 'Game on.'

* * *

A/N: Well, that's officially thirteen pages. Originially, I was going to make Anna the evil character or whatever but then the Sharpay thing happened and I wanted to make Anna a little more useful than just having a sulking sister. So I wonder whats going to happen there, hmm? Please let me know what you think of Troy, I kind of delved a little into his past about how he was during high school, how was that? Anyway, I hope you didn't mind the length and that you all enjoyed!


	12. Ally or Enemy?

Disclaimer: I do not own 'High School Musical' or any related characters.

A/N: Okay, so I know its been a while since I updated last, but if you have visited my profile, you would know that I always disappear before Christmas and show up around the end of January. This is simply because its school holidays where I live and we always end up down at our beach house, which has no internet access hence why I never update around this time. Anyway, I'm sorry that it happened and I gave out no real warning for it. It was kind of an accident really, I was meant to post a one-shot and then my computer shut down with meant I lost the one-shot, so my profile was the only thing I could think of because this chapter was half-finished and so was the next one for YA. So I'm sorry.

Anyway, please enjoy this chapter and I'm hoping to wrap up YA in soon and by soon I mean I have to finish the chapter and it'll be up. Please enjoy this chapter!

Again, sorry!

* * *

_**Memories that Last for Moments**_

**Chapter Twelve: Ally or Enemy?  
**

_So why you gotta stand there  
Looking like the answer now?  
It seems to me you'd come around  
I need you now_

_Mad Season – Matchbox Twenty_

Anna sat, sipping her cappuccino at an outdoor café she'd found after driving around for a good hour or so and enjoying the view as the sun slowly began to set and a different set of people began to make their appearance. She smiled at the people who walked past, waving off the waiter, who had once again approached to see if he could get her anything and only succeeding in irritating her slightly more than he had last time he'd made an appearance.

She was waiting for someone and they were very late.

Not that she minded. No, she didn't really mind, she could only guess what Gabriella and Troy were doing right at that moment and, as she took another sip, she suppressed a shiver as she remembered the way Troy had looked at Gabriella when he'd walked into the living room. She had never seen someone look at someone else the way Troy had been looking at Gabriella. She'd felt her own skin heating up and Troy hadn't even been looking at her!

She wondered if Troy had always looked at Gabriella that way or if it was simply a recently developed thing. She could only imagine that being separated from someone you loved would be enough for your sex drive to go into overdrive upon seeing them again.

She'd known Gabriella long enough to know that her friend was probably only just rediscovering the wonders of sex again.

Troy, on the other hand, wasn't someone she knew a lot about. Not that Chad hadn't informed her of the basic facts about the man that probably was more than occupied with her best friend at the moment. She knew that Troy ran Bolton Enterprises, was an only child and had been Chad's best friend since college. She also knew he was incredibly good looking and had only gotten finer with age. She could admit though, she didn't know enough about him to say whether or not when he had left Gabriella he had left by choice or by force. But then again, the way he looked at her when she wasn't looking, indicated that he felt too much for Gabriella Montez to leave her willingly.

But she wasn't too sure of that.

What she did know was that somehow, in someway, Sharpay Evans had had a hand in whatever had gone on four years ago and she was sure that Troy had some idea of what she had done too. Anna wasn't stupid. She'd seen the way Sharpay had shot looks at Troy since Gabriella had arrived and she knew that the dislike in Sharpay's eyes, the dislike Anna had grown accustomed to being directed at her, wasn't exactly harmless. If she was right, the dislike was definitely lethal.

That dislike was enough to call in the heavy artillery.

"Anna?" She nearly choked on her cappuccino at the voice and managed to maintain grace as she looked up and met the interested green eyes of Ryan Evans.

Oh yes, the heavy artillery had arrived.

"Hi Ryan!" She stood up to give him a kiss on the cheek as Sharpay Evans' twin reciprocated the action before lowering himself into the chair opposite her. This time Anna wasn't irritated with the waiter who rushed over upon seeing someone else sitting at her table.

Anna watched as Ryan settled in his chair, ordering ice tea and waiting until the waiter had walked away to look back at Anna. She smiled at him, assessing and noting that while he was cute, he wasn't her type, which was lucky because of what Anna needed from him.

"So, want to tell me how you managed to get a hold of Gabriella's phone, my number and why you want to talk about my sister?" He asked and Anna smiled slowly and Ryan eyed the smile, giving her the impression that he knew exactly what that smile meant.

"You really want to know?" She asked and Ryan nodded, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Gabriella's my best friend and guess who my brother's best friend is? Who else, but Troy Bolton." She knew that Ryan knew what he was talking about when Ryan let out a low whistle and leaned back in his chair, tilting the baseball hat on his head upwards.

"Huh. Well, that's unexpected." He stated and Anna nodded, not taking her eyes off him, as she drained the rest of her cappuccino and pushed it away from her.

"Yep. I'm guessing your aware of their history?" She asked and Ryan nodded, his eye betraying the neutral expression on his face. He was going to be careful around her and Anna liked him all the more for it.

"Of course. They fell in love, moved in together, he left and she went a little haywire. Its not exactly a pretty story." Ryan said and smiled his thanks at the waiter who placed his ice tea down in front of him; Anna barely glanced at the waiter who seemed to have decided against asking her if she wanted anything, instead leaving them alone to their conversation.

"How much do you know about Troy's leaving?" Anna asked, not sure if Ryan would answer truthfully.

He was, after all, Sharpay's twin and Anna could only guess that he'd known when he'd agreed to meet her at the café that he was going to be subject to an interrogation about his sister. What she hadn't planned on was the way his eyes darkened slightly, as if calculating something, giving her the impression that Ryan had known all along what the meeting was going to be about and had come, at least slightly, prepared for her and her line of questioning. He had, after all, known her for long enough that he was aware of how her mind worked and what she could do when she was angered.

Anna had a feeling that what Sharpay had done would be enough to leave her blind with rage.

"Enough to know that he didn't have a choice." Ryan leaned forward as Anna raised an eyebrow. "Enough to know that he had to walk away from the future he had planned. Enough to know that future included an apartment in San Francisco and an engagement ring that was worth more than I was at that point. Enough to know that those two seeing each other again will cause some serious problems for a few people, especially considering now that Troy has her back, there's no way in hell that he's going to let her go again and if not letting her go means telling her the truth, then I definitely know more than enough." Ryan finished, raising his glass and taking a long sip from the ice tea.

Anna studied him. He really was the heavy artillery. Anna could only guess that Ryan knew much, much more than enough and she felt a small, predatory smile spread across her lips. It was vindictive, but she had to admit, using Ryan to take down Sharpay would leave a lovely glow. But that wasn't her main priority; her main priority was to get Gabriella and Troy back on track. Possibly back to the point where that little apartment on San Francisco was their own little hideaway from the world and the love that still burned between them was recognized openly.

"But," Ryan said, interrupting her thoughts, "it might cost you."

Anna gazed at him thoughtfully, wondering what it was going to cost her and then realizing what he wanted from her.

"You want to know why I want to know." She guessed and Ryan nodded, pushing the glass away from him and assessing her through cool green eyes.

"Yep. If I'm going to tell you what I know, which is so much more than certain people think, I want to know why. I mean, just because Troy and Gabriella have come into contact again doesn't mean I have to spill and dirty the reputation of my beautiful sister," Ryan's sarcasm wasn't lost on Anna but before she could comment he continued. "What do you want to know Anna, and more importantly, why?" He asked and Anna eyed him before sighing.

"I want to know everything. All of it. I'm assuming that you know all of it." She said and Ryan moved his shoulders in nonchalant manner. "And I want to know because my best friend walked through the door a few hours ago and burst into tears on me. She was upset and I don't think anyone, except maybe Troy, really understands how deeply she was hurt by him leaving. I don't think they understand that she blames Troy solely for leaving and I think its time a few things come to light so they can move forward, together, mend their relationship. I want to know because I don't think anyone really saw how deep the love between them ran and I don't think that anyone could have seen that by tearing Troy from Gabriella caused something inside them to close off from the world. And lastly, I want to know because what happened to them _wasn't fair_." Ryan nodded his head to everyone of her reasons, before coughing slightly because he knew that there was one more that she wanted desperately to say and wouldn't in front of him.

Anna rolled her eyes. "And I want to know why, so I can knock Sharpay off her pedestal and show her what happens when you interfere with something that wasn't any of her business."

Ryan smiled in approval before rolling his shoulders back and finishing off his ice tea.

"Good. I knew I'd get it out of you." He smirked and Anna rolled her eyes again. "But you were right, what happened does involve Sharpay. But it also involved Alexander Montez and Jack Bolton." Ryan said and Anna grinned, knowing that she was going to get something juicy from this particular conversation.

Sharpay Evans was going to pay and she was going to pay big time.

Gabriella could only assume how much Sharpay had spent on wedding magazines as soon as she'd said yes to Chad and she knew her friend too well to know not know that her estimate wouldn't come anywhere close to what Sharpay had actually spent. Gabriella was pretty sure that Sharpay had visited several newspaper stands and bought out all the magazines she could find.

It would explain why she was currently looking at two of the same magazines.

She heard Sharpay gasp as she turned a page and sighing, picked up one of the two identical magazines and flipped it open. Perhaps too aware that Troy was standing in the doorframe watching her carefully.

He'd been very quiet since Sharpay had burst into the kitchen, announcing her engagement and successfully dragging her away from Troy, Gabriella thought ruefully. Successfully dragging her away from the conversation that was beginning to lead somewhere. She'd been so close to finding out why Troy had left. The more she thought about it, the more it drove her nuts as she realized that while she was very happy for Sharpay, she wished that her friend had burst into the kitchen _after_ Troy had told her the truth. Maybe then she could immerse herself in what she knew were going to be the most stressful wedding preparations that had ever graced L.A. to forget about what Troy had told her.

Instead, she was sitting at the couch, trying to avoid staring at the place where Troy had dragged her to the floor and trying desperately to think about flower arrangements and not the fact that Troy had just told her that he'd bought an apartment in San Francisco for the two of them.

An apartment in San Francisco near Stanford and the building that be Bolton Enterprises main office in California. An apartment that he'd intended on living in with her. An apartment that had been decorated by both of them, without her knowing. Gabriella could remember going furniture shopping after school with him, he'd said it was furniture for their apartment because he wanted to give it a make-over and she'd never questioned why those pieces of furniture had never arrived at their apartment after he'd left.

She'd forgotten about them altogether.

Now she wished she hadn't. If she hadn't forgotten, she might have been smart enough to question where the furniture had gone. And if she'd questioned maybe she would have found out where it had all gone and where Troy had gone. Maybe she would have saved herself a lot of heartache.

Shaking her head slightly, Gabriella pushed away her thoughts and tried to concentrate on the magazine in front of her. She knew she was failing miserably when she heard Troy's gentle cough.

Almost instantly, she snapped the magazine shut and forced herself not to stand up and move towards him. Instead, she looked up and met Troy's eyes.

"Hey, what's up?" She asked gently and Troy, who was leaning against the doorframe, shrugged his shoulders as Sharpay let out a delighted sigh at the spread on wedding dresses in one of the magazines.

"Not much. I have to get out of her soon. Did Anna say what time she was getting back?" Troy asked and Gabriella blushed slightly, not even remembering her best friend leaving before shaking her head.

"No. Why do you have to get going soon?" Now she did move. Gabriella wasn't sure where the lick of panic had come from, nor did she care for it, what she did realize as she reached him was that it had made her move and it was something that Troy had recognized.

"I have some paperwork to take care of at my apartment." Troy left out that he had a need to call her stepmother and reconfirm the details of Sharpay's involvement, just to make sure he had the upper hand when it came to Sharpay. Instead, he slid his hand around her waist and pulled her against him.

"Oh. Are you going to come back tonight?" She asked, wondering if asking him to stay with her, just for a little while tonight, was too much to ask too soon. Troy raised his eyebrow at her request, glancing from Sharpay to Chad, who was heading for where his fiancée was seated.

"Do you think I want to hear what goes on in Chad's bedroom tonight?" He asked and Gabriella winced at the question, having forgotten Sharpay's announcement earlier to thank Chad in a new way tonight.

"Ah. Sorry. I forgot about that. Chad's bedroom is no where near mine, is it?" Gabriella asked, wrinkling her nose and frowning slightly as she tried to remember which room Chad had pointed out was his on the very quick tour of his house.

"No. Just go to bed really early," Troy murmured, tilting her face upwards slightly, "you look tired anyway. So going to sleep wouldn't be a bad thing." He finished gently, leaning down to kiss her gently. Gabriella's eyes drifted shut as Troy slowly whispered his mouth across hers, waiting until her arms came up, encircled his neck and her mouth demanded more than a whisper. When she did, he kept his mouth gentle, his arms tight and simply coaxed her into such a sweet, tender surrender that Gabriella barely realized how impossible it was for him to kiss her this way without any semblance of feeling for her in him.

He hadn't kissed her this way, not like this, in a long, long time, Gabriella thought, even as she felt her mouth soften against his. His lips hadn't asked instead of demanded and the quiet passion she'd only ever felt a few times with him hadn't risen, wrapping itself around her, heating her skin, even as it wrapped itself around her heart and stirred the warm, fluid feelings she had for Troy. Those, too, rose and poured through her, joining the quiet passion in a potent mixture that was ultimately devastating.

Gabriella's hand slipped into his hair as Troy drew back, she felt him rest his forehead on hers and a smile tilted the corners of her lips.

"Stay here with me tonight." She whispered, so contently, so innocently that Troy tensed. His hands flexed at her back and Gabriella drew back, studied him through sleepy ebony eyes, trying to understand his reaction.

"Brie, we both need sleep." Troy said carefully, hoping that was what she meant and knowing that it wasn't. Gabriella shook her head, her hand trailing down his neck so she could twine the ends that brushed his collar around her fingers.

"I don't mean _that_." She said and Troy raised an eyebrow. "I just…want you to stay. We could watch a movie or something." There was something under the pleading tone of her voice, vulnerability? No, Troy thought, it wasn't vulnerability, it was almost fear. Fear of what, he didn't know.

What he did know was that he needed to distance himself from Sharpay, which meant distancing himself for Gabriella for a few hours. Just so he could figure out what move to make next. He wanted to make Sharpay nervous and he couldn't do that when Gabriella was looking up at him with sleepy, content eyes that reminded him of days where they stayed curled in bed, talking of anything and everything. Because of the way she was looking at him, Troy knew that trying to think about anything but Gabriella would be impossible but there was something in him that ached to stay with her. To hold her as they watched a movie and then crawl into bed with her when they were both too tired to keep their eyes open.

It was an ache that he wasn't quite sure how to handle, an ache, he suddenly realized, he'd drowned out with passion.

Frowning, Troy tried step away from Gabriella, wondering how he was going to decline when all he wanted was to stay with her. Then he remembered the fear in her voice and wondered if the fear had something to do with what she would feel if he left her.

"I'll think about it. I might have to if Anna doesn't return with my car soon." Troy treated it lightly, wondering if she was going to pick up on his reluctance to give her a definite answer.

She didn't, Gabriella didn't really understand why she'd asked him to stay with her. She didn't understand the yearn she had, the yearn she had to just sleep beside him for a night. To go to sleep next to him and wake up next to him. Maybe it wasn't even that. Maybe she just wanted to spend some time with him, time that wasn't filled with passion that sizzled or hate that destroyed. It had taken her a long time to realize that she'd missed Troy's simple friendship, as well as everything else about him.

She'd missed the way that she could call him up, even if they weren't in a relationship, to talk or to sob into the phone or to have him come and rescue her. He'd always been there, especially during her parent's divorce, when they constantly fought. He'd always been there to save her.

* * *

_Methodically, sixteen year old Gabriella slipped the key to her mother's house into the lock and blinked in shock when she discovered that it was already open. That wasn't a good sign. Ever since her parents had announced their separation and pending divorce, her mother had never been home much before seven every night and while Gabriella knew she should trust her mother when she said she was dealing with lawyers (ironically, being paid with her fathers money) she also knew that there was more to her mothers day than sitting boxed into an office with some lawyers, trying to hash out an amicable parting of ways between her two parents. So when the door was unlocked at four-thirty in the afternoon, Gabriella knew that there was something wrong. At the very least, there was something not right. _

_Taking a deep breath, she gently pushed on the door and stepped into the silent house. A silent house was good, Gabriella assured herself, it meant there was nothing wrong and that her mother was home early because she wanted to be. Not because there was something wrong. _

_The assurance was wasted when Gabriella heard a muffled yell coming from the direction of the living room. _

_Suddenly knowing that it was a bad idea to go anywhere near the closed door of the living room, Gabriella stepped towards it, wanting to just know who her mother was arguing with. Walking as silently as she could, managing to avoid the creaks of the floorboards, Gabriella crept towards the living room door and she suddenly realized that the silence she had walked into was lethally deceptive. As she neared the living room, she knew without a doubt, that the explosive argument that was going on between her mother and the other person had fallen into a lull when she had entered the house. _

_A small voice in her head warned her that she should leave before the horrible feeling in her gut confirmed that the other person was her father. _

_She ignored the voice and then wished she hadn't as she heard the roar of her fathers voice. _

"_Are you trying to tear my daughter from me?" Gabriella recoiled slightly as she comprehended what her father was yelling at her mother about. They were arguing about her. Which meant only one thing, the issue of who got her had come up and Gabriella knew her parents well enough to know that her mother would try and use her against her father and that her father, who's heart was in the right place, would fight her mother every inch of the way with neither bothering to ask her who she would like to live with. _

"_No. What gave you that idea?" Her mother's sarcasm ripped through the house. "Gabriella wouldn't want to live with you anyway. She'd just be alone all the time." The words stung, not because her mother had said something that could hurt her but because her mother was simply assuming that she, Gabriella, would live with her. _

"_I thought that's why you started fucking that man. I didn't realize that it had anything to do with Gabriella." Gabriella's eyes widened at her fathers words and she suddenly found it difficult to breathe._

_As quickly, as silently as she could, Gabriella backed away from the lounge room and the people who had shattered everything she had ever believed her family was. Her mother, another man. Oh God. She didn't want to know how her father had found out. Gabriella stumbled out the front door, slamming it shut without thinking that maybe her parents would hear it. _

_She needed to get away from the house. She needed someone to come and take her away. She needed…Troy._

_Though some part of her was shocked at the fact that she needed Troy and not Sharpay, Gabriella chose to ignore it, fumbling slightly, as she tried to pull her phone out of her jean pocket. She didn't care that maybe he was with someone else or that he hadn't given her his phone number so he could play her knight-in-shining-armour. She really didn't care that the last time they had seen each other it had been immeasurably awkward because of a kiss gone what he considered much, much too far. She just knew that, somehow, Troy would make it alright. _

"_Brie?" Troy's confused voice floated through the connection and Gabriella couldn't remember when she'd found his number and hit call. What she did care about was the fact that he'd answered. _

"_T-Troy? Are y-you – c-can you-" he cut her off as she stumbled over her words, struggling to not give into the tears that were threatening to flow._

"_Baby, what's wrong?" His voice had changed. Concern replacing confusion and Gabriella closed her eyes as she fought to regain control of herself and her actions. Taking a deep breath, she reopened her eyes. _

"_Troy…he was at home. The-they were fighting. Over _me._" She said quietly, her shaky breathing more of a warning to her impending collapse than her words. She heard Troy suck in a breath and then heard the sound of a computer shutting down. _

"_Where are you, baby?" He asked and Gabriella couldn't help the relief that flooded through her at his words. He was coming to get her. It would be alright. _

"_Um…I'm on my street. Two houses down, I think." She glanced up the house she was standing in front of and vaguely recognized the sprawling house. She heard Troy grunt and wondered if that was a confirmation of what she had said or if he was trying to do something difficult._

"_Okay. Yeah, I'm leaving early." His voice sounded distant for a moment and then she heard a female voice speak. "No. My girlfriend needs me. Hence the leaving early." He sounded annoyed now and Gabriella held her breath slightly before she spoke._

"_Troy?" She spoke softly into the phone and was rewarded with his voice._

"_I'll be there in twenty minutes, okay? Just don't move." He hung up before she could answer and Gabriella glanced back at her house, seeing her father Mercedes in the driveway and wondering how she hadn't seen it as a warning. _

_He arrived fifteen minutes later. _

_Gabriella watched from her position on the sidewalk as he parked the car, got out and rounding the hood of his car in three strides. He reached her in another two and Gabriella, who had been sitting, stood up, waiting for him to reach her. _

_When his arms folded around her, she broke. _

_She buried her face in his shoulder, tears, the ones she had fought when she'd run from her mothers house, the ones she'd fought when she was on the phone to him, poured out of her and for the first time in a long time, she felt childlike and safe. She felt so safe enveloped in Troy's arms; his hand cradling her head as he gently rocked her. _

_It didn't take long for her tears to dry up, though Troy was sure there would be more later, he could only guess that those tears were ones of shock. Whatever else had made her collapse into tears would come to light later and with them, he assumed, more tears._

"_Hey, beautiful, are you gonna tell me about it?" Troy asked gently as Gabriella pulled away from his shoulder, tilting her head to look up at him. The dead, frightened look in her eyes had Troy's hand clenching at her back. _

_Gabriella raised a hand to wipe at her face, unsure how to handle Troy's tenseness and then nodding her head. _

"_Yes." She replied as she sniffled. "Can I stay with you tonight?" She asked and Troy nodded, unsure how to handle the vulnerability that shined through the deadened look in her eyes. _

_Gabriella closed her eyes and snuggled into him, wanting him to just hold onto her for a little bit longer, wanting to feel safe in the arms of someone she knew would never hurt her. _

_

* * *

_Gabriella remembered that vividly. It was the first time he had ever come to her rescue and it hadn't been the last. It was part of their relationship, Gabriella thought, he had always been rescuing her, helping her in some way and when she had become old enough, she had begun to give back to him. She had let him talk to her, tried to help him with his problems, listened to him when something frustrated him. It was something that balanced their relationship and, Gabriella thought, made them the best of friends.

"Hey, can you hear anything coming from the living room?" Troy suddenly asked, breaking into her thoughts.

Gabriella jerked slightly and then held her breath as she listened intently. Not a sound was coming from the living room and then she wondered when they'd moved from the doorway of the living room and into the hallway.

"No. I don't hear-" Gabriella was cut off when a long, low moan cut through the air around them. A moan that was undoubtedly Sharpay's.

Gabriella cringed as Troy winced and then they looked at each other, both eyes questioning, both wondering if it was a wise move to interrupt them.

"The living rooms already had us…" Gabriella trailed off at the loud grunt that Chad made and Troy made a face, suddenly wishing that he had his car and they could get out of the house as quickly as possible.

"Should we interrupt them?" Troy asked and Gabriella looked at him like he was crazy.

"I do _not_ want to be scarred for life, thank you very much. You can." Troy let out a sound that was halfway between a scream and a terrified chuckle.

"Uh-uh, no way. I would rather face a pack of rabid dogs." Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him, wondering if she could beat that. Then covered her ears at Sharpay's yelp, followed by Chad murmuring something that was undoubtedly dirty.

"Could we set of the smoke alarm?" Gabriella asked, glancing around the hallway for the alarm and Troy shook his head.

"No. What would be burn? Chad doesn't have any candles and that's the safest way to set it off." Troy shot down the idea and then groaned at Sharpay's giggle, cut short by a moan. Gabriella looked around frantically, praying they hadn't gotten that far yet.

"Lets throw water on them." Gabriella suggested and Troy stared at her, wondering if she was serious. "What? Got any better ideas Sherlock?" She snapped at him and Troy looked around as Chad cried out something that Troy doubted could ever be repeated in polite company.

"Um, well-" He started and then the front door swung open.

Before either Troy or Gabriella could react, Anna and a tall, blonde man walked through the front door, heading straight for the living room. Neither of them glanced up as they headed towards the living room, both seemingly engrossed in conversation.

Gabriella glanced at Troy, who was staring at the two, as if trying to figure out how to make then _not_ enter the living room. Before they could catch their attention, Anna and the man turned into the living room and Gabriella winced.

"Chad!" Gabriella was pretty sure that was Anna's yell.

"Anna!" That was Chad, Troy thought.

"Sharpay!" The blonde man definitely, Gabriella bit her lip.

"Ryan!" Sharpay's earsplitting shriek caused Troy to choke on laughter he was desperately trying to fight.

"Troy!" Gabriella hissed at him, hitting his chest.

"Gabriella!" Troy exclaimed.

Then both collapsed into laughter as they heard scrambling and muttered oaths coming from the living room as both Anna and Ryan, walked out, pale as snow with a faint blush beginning to spread.

Leaning down, when he saw the way Anna and Ryan turned towards them, Troy nipped Gabriella's ear slightly before speaking.

"I think I'm going to stay for a little while." He murmured into it, he felt Gabriella squeeze his hand tightly as she held back more laughter.

Troy squeezed back and then thought that things had just got very interesting. He'd finally realized who the new man was and, Troy thought, Ryan Evans surely wasn't someone Sharpay wanted around.

Her twin, after all, was all too aware of the lengths Sharpay had gone to four years earlier and Troy wondered if Ryan had come as a very useful ally or a very dangerous enemy.

* * *

A/N: So, Ryan's now in the picture. Hmm, I wonder what's going to happen now. Oh, in case someone gets any ideas about Ryan and Anna, no they won't be romantically linked. They're just...going to be united by a common goal. Possibly. Anyway, once again sorry about the late update. Oh, a piece of trivia, I actually wrote the flashback for a different chapter and didn't end up using it. Instead, I filed it away in a document, then remembered it for this chapter!


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